


Everything Good Happens After Midnight

by tis_a_silly_place



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Cunnilingus, F/M, Fluff, I mean i have an outline but after that WHO KNOWS, It started as just smut lol, Kissing, Oral Sex, Porn turns into Plot, Sex, Smut, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, and then I got so many ideas and we're just going to flesh this out, who knows where it will lead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:41:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 31,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26673829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tis_a_silly_place/pseuds/tis_a_silly_place
Summary: Sebastian has to stay the night, but ~there's only one bed.~What happens next?2/14/21: New Chapter 4 added. Scenes I should have originally placed there! The original Chapter 4 is now Chapter 5 and so on.
Relationships: Sebastian & Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sebastian (Stardew Valley)/Original Female Character(s), Sebastian/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sebastian/Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 43
Kudos: 289





	1. Just Friends

“No, I said I haven’t seen it _in forever_. Not that I’ve never seen it! Of course I’ve seen _Lord of the Rings_!”

Sebastian and Sam looked relieved at your clarification, and Abigail just chuckled at their original disbelief.

“Good,” Sam said. “I don’t know how we could still be friends if you hadn’t!”

Sebastian chimed in: “Well, it would mean that she’d get to watch it with us for the first time.”

“True,” Sam replied.

Pelican Town’s infamous trio was gathered in your kitchen, finishing up bowls up pumpkin soup and fresh-baked bread. As always, the conversation had turned towards the _Solarion Chronicles_ , the new _Witcher_ TV show, and other fantasy and sci-fi topics.

“I don’t think I could be considered a proper nerd if I hadn’t seen it.” You began to gather empty bowls and bring the dishes to the sink. “After I clean up, does anyone want to watch _The Two Towers_? That’s my favorite.”

“Sorry, Alyse, tonight is inventory night at the store. And I need to stay on Dad’s good side if I want my car privileges back.” Abigail followed you to the sink, bringing the breadbasket and salad bowl. “I can help wash dishes, but after that I gotta go.”

“I have to head out after cleanup too,” Sam added. “I promised I’d play Vincent’s new video game with him before he goes to bed. If he thinks he’s gonna beat meet at Mario Kart, he has another thing coming!”

You refused their help and hugged them both goodbye as Sebastian took over your duties at the sink, scrubbing at the now-crusted soup ladle.

“What about you, Seb? Up for a movie night?”

“Sure, I don’t have any work due tomorrow.” He handed you the ladle to dry.

“Awesome. _Two_ _Towers_ good for you or do you want to pick another one?”

“Nah, _Towers_ is good. I love the talking trees.”

Together, you finished putting your kitchen back in order before you rummaged through your DVD bin to find the right disc. Secretly, you were glad to have some alone time with Sebastian. You always felt a bit of a spark when you were together, but it was usually overshadowed by the other members of your little group.

“Give me just a few minutes- I’m going to go make sure the animals are in the barn.”

Sebastian smiled at you as he settled into the loveseat. “Sounds good.”

\---

You returned shortly and began laughing at the sight that awaited you. “How did you get THAT cold in 10 minutes?”

Sebastian, wrapped in all three of your blankets, glowered at you from his cocoon on the couch. “You opened the door and it was cold. And it didn’t get warmer once you left. And now there’s no more soup to keep me warm.” He pulled the blankets tighter to him as a cold wind swept through the door and you pushed it shut.

“Dork, there’s a space heater right here.” Crossing the room to reach beside the couch, you plugged in the machine and aimed it at Sebastian. “It probably doesn’t help that you don’t have an ounce of body fat. Can I have a blanket for myself, please?”

Reluctantly, Sebastian relinquished the top blanket layer, and you fell into the cushion next to him.

“And look, now that I’m here, you’ll have extra body heat.” You leaned into him as he rolled his eyes.

“Just start the movie.” You caught the hint of a smile on his face as he burrowed himself further into the blankets.”

“Yes, sir.” You grabbed the remote and navigated to the menu. After hitting Play, you leaned back into the cushions. “Central heating and air is on my wish list for your mom to install in the future. But for now, we just gotta suck it up.”

You and Sebastian enjoyed the movie in comfortable silence, your head gradually falling to his shoulder as Aragorn arrived at Helm’s Deep to defeat the Uruk-hai. 

Suddenly, you woke up as Sebastian stirred beneath you, your body curled into his on your tiny sofa. Dazed, you checked your watch. 12:17 am. _Shit._

“No, sorry, don’t wake up,” Sebastian tried to stand up from underneath you. “I guess we fell asleep before the movie ended, but I should probably head back home.” He reached for his shoes sitting by the couch before you placed your hand on his wrist.

“You’re staying here tonight.”

“Seriously? It’s like a 15 minute walk home. I do it all the time coming from Sam’s place.”

“Sebastian…” You didn’t want him to freak out, but you weren’t letting him outside at this hour. “Things are a little different on the farm. I discovered it my first week here when I was coming back from the mines late one night. Believe me when I tell you, the creatures in this area shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

Sebastian snorted, “What, some squirrel is gonna attack me?”

“Squirrels are no concern at all. Things that eat squirrels or eat my animals, though… those worry me,” You pointed to the shimmering, purple steel hanging beside your front door. “The sword isn’t there for decoration, Sebastian. You’re sleeping here tonight.”

He gazed at you, dumbfounded, “You’re… not kidding, are you? What the fuck? What’s out there?? Why do you live here??” His voice increased in pitch and volume as he began to panic.

“Okay, calm down,” You pulled his face away from the door and cupped his cheeks. “The monsters weren’t so bad at first, but it’s like they knew I was getting more proficient with my sword, and they just keep getting stronger. It really isn’t anything I can’t handle, but I’d rather not risk escorting you home when you can stay here, no problem.”

“No, what is out there right now?? And you’re just in here, all calm?? Monsters in games or movies-” He gestured to the tv, still displaying the _Two Towers_ menu, “that’s one thing, but they could be REAL??” His breathing quickened, and his eyes darted around the room.

“Deep breaths, Sebastian. We are safe, locked inside the house. The animals are safe, locked inside the barn. I’ve learned that whatever is out there won’t bother you unless you approach them. We’re gonna stay locked inside until the sun comes up and the golems, slimes, and other weird shit disappear for the day, okay?”

Sebastian slowly nodded, taking in all this new information.

“Good. I’m gonna find you some pajamas, and we’ll get in bed. If you have any other questions about the creatures or the farm, you can ask them. But stay calm.” You stood up from the couch and stretched before walking into your bedroom. Finding an extra pair of flannel bottoms and a tshirt, you brought them to Sebastian, who was still slumped on your couch, staring at the door as if he was waiting for a slime to squeeze its way through.

“Here, they may be a little big, but you’ll be warm for the night.”

He shook his head and started for the bathroom before turning towards you. “Wait, you said _we’ll_ get in bed?”

“Yeah, it’s big enough for two. I think you’d freeze to death without me next to you. And, there’s the extra lock on the bedroom door- I figured that would give you some extra security.”

Sebastian just nodded again and continued his trek to the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

After he emerged, you gestured him towards the bed before you changed and brushed your teeth. As soon as you opened the bathroom door, Sebastian began to hurl questions at you from his spot on the bed.

“But what kind of creatures? You mentioned golems and slimes?? Are they like Golum? What about the slimes? Is it just a literal ball of slime? What’s so dangerous about that? What else is out there? Have you ever gotten hurt? Wait you said something about the mines earlier. Are there monsters in the mines? Is that why Abigail always wants to go?? Do you battle monsters every day??”

As he continued his line of questioning, you puttered around the cabin, flipping off the space heater and all the lights, ensuring the front door was locked, taking out your earrings, and locking the bedroom door behind you before crawling into bed beside Sebastian.

“Wow, okay. As far as creatures, I’ve seem slime, golems, weird giant bug things, little creatures that look like soot sprites from that one Ghibli movie-“

“Spirited Away.”

“Yes, thank you. Um… bat-ish monsters… crab-ish things…” You knew you could go on about the types of disturbing creatures you’d fought, but Sebastian wasn’t ready for talks of ghosts, skeletons, and flying serpents. “The golems do like a little like Golum from the movie, but they move much slower. And the slimes, yeah, they’re just… sentient balls of slime. They don’t bite or anything, but if they touch your skin it feels like a million mosquitos just bit one little spot.”

Sebastian had reclined onto his pillow as you spoke, pulling the comforter around his neck.

“I have gotten hurt,” You continued, and Sebastian raised his eyebrows at your statement. “I haven’t been attacked severely on the farm, but I have been really wounded in the mines. I’m lucky Linus was nearby to help.”

“Yoba…” Sebastian settled back and stared at the ceiling.

“The monsters get… really scary the further down in the mines you go. I finally discouraged Abigail from going in by herself, but I don’t think she’ll be fully convinced until she sees what the threats are in person.” You turned on your side to look at Sebastian, who mimicked your actions. “And I don’t battle them everyday. Usually I just head to the mines when it’s raining, and I normally plan my schedule so I’m home before midnight. But that’s why I always have at least a dagger on me.”

“Alyse… that’s insane. Why do you keep going down there?”

“Well, I need stuff for the farm! Stone, iron, copper, random gems and stuff.”

“I guess.. But is that really worth the danger?”

“I’m not gonna lie. Sometimes it’s draining to be constantly on edge while I’m outside. But at the same time, I’m like a hero from the games we play… It’s really cool to feel so strong, even if it is a little dangerous.”

Sebastian met your eyes. “From now on, you’re going to text me when you go into the mines, and call me on your way home. I don’t care what time it is. Seriously. You know how late I stay up. I want to know when you’re locked inside.”

“What, are you worried about me?” You smiled and nudged his foot with yours under the blanket.

Sebastian blushed and his gaze danced anywhere but your face. “I mean… of course I’m worried now. I knew you went in the mines, but I didn’t know it was that dangerous.”

“Hey,” You nudged him again. “I’ll be okay. I promise. And I’ll call you on my way home. Sometimes I call my mom since they’re a few hours behind us, but I can add you into the rotation.

Sebastian nodded as he gazed into your eyes. Smiling, you broke contact and rolled over to turn off the bedside lamp. A small nightlight in the corner cast enough light for you to see Sebastian’s face in the shadows.

“Will the nightlight bother you? It’s just a comfort thing for me. I’ve never liked sleeping in pitch black.”

“Definitely not. I usually have my computer or TV on while I’m sleeping.”

“Okay good. Goodnight, Sebastian.”

“Goodnight, Alyse. Hope you can sleep well with my snoring. I sleep in the basement for a reason.”

You rolled your eyes as you rolled over, ignoring the flash of his smile in the dark.

Snuggling into your pillow, you drifted to sleep to the sound of Sebastian’s adorable snores.


	2. More Than Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian and the farmer wake up.

You were incredibly warm. Much warmer than you should be even under the covers. Slowly opening your eyes, you realized you and Sebastian were intertwined. You now faced each other: Sebastian pulled you close to him as his arm wrapped around your waist, and you curled up into his warmth, hands clutching his t-shirt as your head nuzzled into his chest. Recognizing where you were, you began to shift from underneath Sebastian and back to your side of the bed. You certainly didn’t mind cuddling with your bed partner, but you didn’t want to make him uncomfortable.

Sebastian pulled you closer and yawned before he opened his eyes. Glancing down at you, he seemed surprised, but didn’t move his arm from your waist. As you looked up at him, your gaze locked on his.

“Hi…” Sebastian was breathless as he stared into your eyes. 

“Hi…” You stared back, unsure about what exactly was happening.

Slowly, Sebastian leaned down and placed his lips on yours, not closing his eyes until your lips made contact. After a second, he pulled back, face red in the small amount of light coming from the corner of the room.

“Hi,” you giggled.

“Hi,” he responded, his blush deepening as he smiled. “I’m sorry, I just… I really wanted to kiss you tonight,” he smirked and continued, “Even when you made fun of me for being too cold.”

You smiled and pulled him down to you again, whispering to him between kisses, “I’ve wanted to do this for a while, actually. I just didn’t think you felt the same.”

“Every time I want to talk to you more or ask you out, Sam always interrupts.” His fingers moved up and down your back, tracing unseen patterns into the fabric of your shirt. “I’m really glad I stayed tonight.”

“I’m glad you stayed too.” He broke into a sheepish grin as you brought your lips to his again.

The kissing became hazy as you turned warm and pliable in Sebastian’s arms. He slid his tongue across your lips and you granted him access, parting your lips under his gentle pressure. His lips slotted perfectly into yours, supple and full. You lost time kissing Sebastian and eventually he pulled away, lips swollen and eyes hooded as he rested his forehead on yours. You brushed your fingers over his jawline, tracing a path back and forth along his skin.

He rubbed his nose against yours as he spoke, “Why haven’t we been doing this all this time?”

“Doesn’t matter. We’re doing it now.” You brought your hand to the back of his neck and pulled him closer to you, resuming the warm kisses you had been enjoying. His hand, which had stayed firmly on your waist, traveled to your hip and thigh, running up and down the pajama fabric.

You pulled Sebastian over you, guiding him on top of you to settle in between your legs. Feeling his hardness between the layers of flannel, you brought him closer by wrapping your legs around his waist.

“Fuck, Alyse…” He groaned at the feeling, and you threaded your fingers through his lush hair. His lips trailed a path to your neck and he nibbled your ear before placing kisses up and down the exposed skin leading to your collarbone. He licked his way up the opposite side of your neck as you sighed under his touch, your hands sliding under his shirt and up his back.

Sebastian rutted against you as you lightly scraped your fingernails down his back, and you both moaned at the sudden contact between your legs. He rolled you both over so you straddled him, holding your weight above his body. He gazed up at you through eyes dark with lust.

“Sebastian… How far do you want to go right now?” Your palms flattened against his chest and you felt his breathing, deep and rhythmic

“I want you, Alyse.” His hands came to rest above the hem of your pajamas, his thumb toying with the string still tied into a neat bow.

You smirked and ground your hips into him, relishing in the eagerness that Sebastian returned the movement. Leaning down, you whispered in his ear, “Condoms are in the bedside drawer.”

He grinned and brought his lips to yours with a renewed passion. If before the kisses were lazy and easy, this was hard and passionate. His touch was electric on your skin as he slid his hands underneath your top, sliding the fabric over your chest and tossing the garment to the side of the bed. You leaned back as Sebastian admired his new view, and you blushed as you heard him murmur, “Wow…” before he slid his hands up your skin, gently rubbing his thumbs over your nipples. You felt the heat pooling at your core as he continued to caress your breasts. You wanted more. So much more.

You began to pull at the hem of Sebastian’s shirt, running your fingers over the the soft skin that awaited you. Sebastian pushed himself to sit up in the bed, and you pulled the shirt over his head, tossing it to join your own somewhere on the old, wooden floor. He scooted back to lean against your headboard and pulled you towards him. You settled in his lap and he once again fondled your breast with one hand, cupping your ass with the other as you ground into him and pressed your mouth to his. He pulled your bottom lip between his teeth, applying gentle pressure before releasing it and looking into your eyes for confirmation that you enjoyed it. You nodded and smiled into his kiss, grazing your teeth on his lips. In response, he pinched your nipple and held your hips tight to his, thrusting up into you. You moaned as his nimble fingers continued to pinch and tweak you, and you let your lips trail up and down his neck, nibbling your way from earlobe to newly exposed collarbone.

Returning to his ear, you whispered as you sunk fully into his lap, “I need to get your pants off very soon.”

Sebastian chuckled as his untied the knot around your waist. “I agree. Lean back for me.”

You leaned and scooted back towards the center of your bed, Sebastian following and pulling you up so you both kneeled in front of each other. In an instant, his hands were on your hips, sliding your pajama bottoms over the curve of your ass to reveal dark blue panties trimmed with lace. You were happy this was the pair you randomly picked from your drawer, and you appreciated the weight of Sebastian’s eyes roaming your body.

It was your turn to slide the loose pajama bottoms from Sebastian’s hips, gently brushing the bulge in his underwear as you did so. Sebastian groaned and buried his face in the crook of your neck as you teased your fingers into the waistband of his briefs.

You pulled Sebastian’s face up to meet yours, and you fell to the bed, both kicking off your pajama bottoms as you arranged yourselves: Sebastian filling the space between your legs as the friction from your panties drove you wild.

There was no rhyme or reason to where or how you kissed each other. Hot, fiery, and passionate, your bodies pulsed together as lips, teeth, and tongues traveled across skin while hands roamed, pinched, and caressed. Sebastian’s hand traveled to your hip, teasing the hemline of your panties. His finger traced the fabric between your thighs and he rubbed his fingers up and down the already soaked cotton. You moaned into his mouth, urging him to make contact. He acquiesced, a smirk on his lips, and he slid one finger into your panties, slowly exploring his new territory.

“Sebastian, please…” You whined, needing more immediately.

He chuckled in your ear, grazing the lobe with his teeth, “Someone’s eager, aren’t they?”

His finger continued its slow journey, shortly joined by a second. Tracing up and down your folds, he never touched where you wanted him most. Fine. Two could play at that game.

You reached down to grab his cock through his underwear, smirking at Sebastian’s sudden inhale on your neck. You gently rubbed it through the fabric before sliding your hand into his underwear and taking his cock firmly in hand. He groaned and slid his own finger over your clit, finally sending the sparks that you wanted all along. You stayed like that for a moment, fingers and hand slowly moving in unison as moans, curses, and praise streamed through the air. Sebastian finally slid his fingers inside you, slowly pumping as his thumb rubbed your clit.

Suddenly, he withdrew his fingers. You whined at the loss of contact but fell silent as Sebastian sat up to pull your panties from your hips, sliding off his own after he stripped you. He hovered above you, his eyes dark, and cock dangerously close to your dripping core.

His voice was almost a growl in your ear, a new side to Sebastian you hadn’t experienced, “I can’t stand another moment of not being inside of you.”

Yoba. Your breathing quickened at the new timbre of his voice, and your voice was breathy as you pointed at your nightstand, “Bedside drawer.”

Sebastian reached across the bed to open the drawer, rummaging until he found a small, shiny packet. Tearing it open, he tossed aside the packaging and kneeled above you to roll it on. You sat up to wrap your arms around his neck, immediately pulling him on top of you. You spread your legs wide and you both moaned as the tip of his cock brushed your pussy.

Sebastian steadied, bracing himself with one arm beside your head, the other lining himself up with your entrance. He brought his lips to yours and whispered as he teased your clit with his cock, “I am so fucking happy we slept through that movie.”

“Sebastian, please. I need you inside me.”

He brought his mouth to yours, both of you moaning as he slowly slid inside you. He didn’t move at first, enjoying the tight heat of your pussy as you wrapped your legs around his waist and pulled him even deeper. He brought his other hand to the side of your head, playing with your hair before kissing you again and beginning to move. It wasn’t frantic or rushed like your kisses had been. It was deliberate, passionate, and so fucking good. Each thrust filling you completely as Sebastian murmured in your ear, hand traveling from your neck to your breast and back up again.

You felt the coil in your stomach begin to tighten, but you knew you needed more. As Sebastian’s hand traveled back down to your breast, you caught his hand in yours and placed his fingers over your nipple, demonstrating what you wanted from him. He caught on, and began to caress your breast, playing with your sensitive nipple as your own hand dipped lower to your clit. You rubbed it in time to Sebastian’s thrusts, biting his lip as he brought his lips to yours. The combination of his fullness and the additional stimulation would push you over the edge soon.

“Harder, Sebastian,” You moaned in his ear, “More. Please, Yoba, more.”

Hearing your pleas, Sebastian picked up his pace, driving into you with more force. Your unoccupied hand scratched down his back, and he hissed at the touch. He pulled your leg up above his shoulder and kissed your thigh as he continued to thrust.

You moaned at the deeper angle this position allowed, enjoying how full Sebastian made you feel. You continued to rub your clit, increasing your speed to match his intensity.

“Yoba, Sebastian I’m so close- so close- so close- please just keep doing that-“ Your voice stopped working as Sebastian hit that one spot inside of you and your vision went blurry, the coil finally releasing inside you.

“Alyse, I can’t keep- You’re too fucking wonderful. I’m gonna cum- Fuck-“

You pulled him to you as he thrust one final time before stalling. You felt his cock twitch inside you, spilling cum inside the condom. You stayed intertwined, his forehead pressed against yours, regaining coherence as you both fell from your highs.

Sebastian spoke first, his voice still rumbling low, “Wow. That was… wow.”

“Took the words right out of my mouth,” You smiled at him and he kissed you as he gently pulled your leg from his shoulder. Holding the base of the condom, he slowly pulled out of you, careful to not let the condom spill any contents. He kissed your forehead and whispered, “I’ll be right back,” before rolling off the bed towards the bathroom. You lay in bliss until Sebastian returned. He pulled his underwear and pajama pants back on before climbing back in bed as you stood from it.

After cleaning up in the bathroom, you found a new pair of underwear, your old pair still soaking from Sebastian’s work earlier, and slipped on your shirt. You joined Sebastian under the covers, voluntarily cuddling in the same position you woke up in.

You could talk about what all this meant in the morning. For now, he held you close, breathing deeply in the cold winter air as you kept each other warm through the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I feel like I'm getting better at this with every chapter I write. I think the story is going to continue from here as Sebastian and the farmer become a true couple. Comments always welcome!


	3. A New Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastian makes breakfast!

The morning came too soon, light streaming in from the blinds on your bedroom window as you huddled close to the warm body next to you. Only a few more days of Winter, which meant only a few more days of sleeping in. You settled into Sebastian’s embrace as he slept, dead to the world.

Soon, you could hear the cows calling from the barn, eager for their morning meals. Jostling Sebastian as little as possible, you slipped from his grip and left the bed, floor creaking under your feet as you tiptoed to the bathroom. Minutes later, you were dressed and ready to head out the door.

“Hey,” Sebastian groggily called from the bed. “Where are you going? It’s so early”

You laughed, “It’s 7am! That’s not early for a farmer. Go back to sleep. I need to feed the animals and do a few chores. I’ll be back soon and we can have breakfast.”

Sebastian nodded and fell back into his pillow as you closed the front door behind you. You smiled to yourself as you followed the stone path to the barn, remembering the reason you woke up in Sebastian’s arms this morning. The sex was amazing AND you both admitted you had wanted it for some time now. Hopefully he felt the same glow you did, and you could talk about it more over breakfast.

You took your time in the barn and coop, opting to give Sebastian a little more time in bed as you filled the troughs, gathered the eggs, and milked your cows. Before long, your stomach growled and you headed back towards the house, double checking the animals’ heaters as you left.

Opening the front door, you were greeted with the incredible smells of a full breakfast, a pot of coffee, and the sight of Sebastian placing a casserole dish of pancakes in the oven. Grinning, you slipped off your boots and left them on the porch, crossing the kitchen to join Sebastian at the stove.

He set down the spatula and turned to you, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you in for a hug. You returned the embrace, glancing at the pots and pans on the stove.

“Good morning! I didn’t know you were a chef!” Seeing the fresh pot of coffee, you pulled your favorite mug from the cupboard, noticing Sebastian had already consumed 2 or 3 cups from the pot.

“I can do the basic stuff,” Sebastian responded, voice still rough with sleep. “Mom made sure Maru and I knew how to do at least that. So today, we have pancakes, fried eggs, and hash browns.” He seasoned the potatoes, grabbing bottles from your spice rack before finding the ones he wanted.

“Yum! Oh, I have cheese and some veggies in the fridge if you want to make an omelet.”

Sebastian shuddered at the thought. “Ugh, I hate omelets.”

“But you’re making fried eggs.” You raised an eyebrow at this.

“Yeah, but it’s a texture thing.” He cracked two eggs into the pan, grabbing a spoon to baste the yolks in oil. “Demetrius made omelets a lot when we were growing up and I just got sick of them.”

“Understandable. Do you want more coffee?”

“Yes, please,” he smiled at you.

You crossed the kitchen to fill his mug and kissed his cheek when you placed the steaming cup on the counter next to him. You swore you could see the hint of a blush as you pulled away.

“Timing is critical for a meal like this, but I think I did pretty good.” He pulled the pancakes from the oven, kept warm with a low heat, and placed the dish on top of a woven potholder on your kitchen table. Then, he removed the hash browns from the heat before equally dividing them onto two plates. Sliding a fried egg onto each dish, he brought the plates to the table, setting one in front of you before returning to the fridge.

Looking in the fridge, he turned to you to ask, “I know this is weird, but do you have any ketchup? I usually douse my potatoes with it.”

“YES. I’m so glad someone else likes that too.” You crossed the kitchen to rummage through your condiment shelf, handing the red bottle to Sebastian before pulling out the butter and syrup for the pancakes. “People always said I was weird for eating ketchup on hash browns. But it’s just like French fries! Just smaller.”

“Exactly.” Sebastian followed you to the table, ketchup in hand, and grabbed his coffee mug along the way.

“Thank you for breakfast, Sebastian.” You helped yourself to a pancake, placing one on his plate as well. “This is a real treat for me!”

“It’s no problem. It’s a little early for me,” he grinned sheepishly, “but not a problem. Thank you for having us over last night, and the movie, and…”

He trailed off, gazing at you as he blushed again and picked up his mug. You returned the smile.

“So, we should probably talk about what happens now.” You stabbed at your pancake, tearing off a piece with syrup. “Oh wow, these are amazing!”

“Thanks! Family recipe.” He moved his hash browns back and forth on the plate. “So… what _does_ happen now?”

“Well. We both said we wanted to do that for a while. I think that means the obvious thing to do is to start officially dating, right?” You put down your utensils and reached across the table for his hand. “I like you, Sebastian.”

He smiled and grasped your hand in his, thumb gently roving over your knuckles. “I like you too.”

You both ate in contented silence, enjoying another cup of coffee before you finished the meal. Sebastian glanced at you over his final mug, his plate now empty.

“You know this means we have to tell Sam and Abigail, right?”

\---

“FINALLY!” Abigail shouted, drawing the eyes of Gus and Shane as you and Sebastian stepped into the game room, hand in hand.

“It took you guys long enough,” Sam added. “We thought this needed to happen weeks ago.”

“Seriously, guys?” Sebastian muttered.

“YES. Why do you think we left you two alone so early? It wasn’t inventory night!” Abigail continued to emote, slightly softer than her original exclamation, “That’s not even a thing!”

You chuckled and settled into the couch beside your purple-haired friend. Sebastian grinned at you and grabbed a pool stick, ready to beat Sam for the umpteenth time in a row. You smiled and shook your head before turning your attention to Abigail, who was already asking rapid-fire questions.

“What happened after we left? Did he finally tell you or did you tell him? Did you kiss?”

“Um, we washed the dishes and then we watched _The Two Towers_. I actually fell asleep on him halfway through. And when I woke up, we just kind of… looked at each other and I knew I had to say what I felt. Thankfully, he felt it too. And then we talked for a bit, and he went home!”

“Ahh! I’m so happy for you guys!” Abigail clapped her hands in delight and continued to babble on. You glanced over at Sebastian, who silently smirked as he listened to your conversation. Abigail didn’t need to know _everything_ that happened last night.


	4. Missing Scenes (Added 2/14/21)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! 
> 
> This chapter is two scenes comprised of ideas I had that didn't really fit into later parts of the story, or that I should have put in earlier chapter originally! The scene with Robin takes place shortly after telling Sam and Abigail after the relationship, and the scene with Shane is the day after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I am working on the next full chapter of the story, but wanted to get these snippets out of the draft phase.

“Do we really have to tell them?” Sebastian leaned against the door to his mother’s home in one last attempt to keep you from breaking the news of your relationship.

“The only reason they don’t already know is we beat them to the Saloon the night we told Abigail and Sam. Also, I think your mom might start to wonder where you are all the time.” You pulled on the strings of his hoodie and brought him in for a quick peck, gently prying him from the door. Sebastian resigned with a sigh and opened up the door to his home.

“Alyse! Sebastian! Come in, come in.” Robin looked up from her carpentry book to welcome you inside. “What are you two up to today?”

“We’re just out and about.” You answered cheerfully, allowing Sebastian to break the news. “I’ll need a new silo soon, but I just need to collect a few more stones first.”

“Just let me know! The silo build is pretty quick. I can be out of your hair in just a day or so.”

“Uhhh, actually we do have something to tell you.” Sebastian bashfully scratched the back of his neck and reached towards your hand before glancing at his mom. “We’re dating.”

With a squeal, Robin launched herself over the counter to wrap her arms around you and her son. She rocked back and forth as Sebastian let out a sound of surprise.

“At least he’ll finally get out of the basement,” Demetrius chuckled from where he just entered the lobby.

Robin broke the embrace and shot her husband a look before turning to you. “I never wanted to be too pushy or anything, but I knew as soon as you stepped off that bus you’d become part of the Pelican Town family and I’m just so happy you’ve settled in and have made all your friends. And Sebastian…”

Robin gazed at him and cupped his chin in her hand. “I hope you make each other very happy. You both deserve it.”

Sebastian blushed, a crimson wave spreading across his pale features.

“But c’mon, Alyse! Surely you can do better!” Demetrius laughed again, but with none of the familial joking that usually accompanies such jokes. “I think Maru said Dr. Harvey is single…”

Sebastian and his mother shared the same icy stare and scarlet flush as all your eyes fell on Demetrius. Before Robin could open her mouth to defend her first-born, you heard a rebuke tumble from your mouth.

“I’m sure Harvey will make some lucky person a wonderful match.” Your tone reminded you of the sickly sweet Joja customer service voice you adopted years ago. “But I’m dating someone who is kind, funny, intelligent, has a steady job, and who has been a better friend to me this last year than anyone I knew in the city. So no, I think I’m doing perfectly fine.”

Finishing your speech with a bright smile, you pulled a small parcel from your bag and handed it to Robin, who was staring at you with the hint of tears in her eyes. “I brought some fresh goat cheese! And Demetrius, there’s a purple mushroom in there as well. Found it in the mines the other day and thought you might find it interesting.”

“I’ll be back in a day or two to finalize the details on the new silo, Robin!” You waved at Sebastian’s mother as he followed you out of the house. As soon as the door was closed, he wrapped you in a silent hug. You squeezed back, now understanding the depths of which his relationship with Demetrius was strained. You stood in the chill of the evening for several moments as Robin’s voice grew louder through the shop façade. Thankfully, she seemed to be letting her husband have it as well.

Sebastian finally released you from his embrace and kissed your forehead, breathing in the citrusy scent of your shampoo. You slid your hand into his and guided him towards the lake by his house. The night air was filled with the sound of crickets, bellowing frogs, and the distant smell of freshly rained-on moss. You sat beside Sebastian underneath a large oak tree. He stared into the watery abyss of the lake and didn’t comment on the small frog sitting by the shore.

You hesitated for several minutes before asking your question. “So you and Demetrius…. obviously don’t get along. I guess my question is why?”

Sebastian sighed and looked down at his lap before taking your hand in his, gently stroking your knuckles in thought before answering. “I don’t really remember the start of it. As far as I can remember, I’ve always hated him.” Sebastian frowned and continued, “Hate is a strong word. I don’t hate him. I do wish our relationship was better, but it seems like every time I try to improve it he shoots me down even more. Now I just do my best to stay out of the way. But even tonight! That was totally unprovoked. I haven’t spoken to him at all the last few days.”

“That was absolutely uncalled for. And if he tries that again in front of me, it won’t be pretty… What happened with your dad?”

“My dad ran out on my mom when I was like two or three. She met Demetrius soon after and Maru was here before I was five. My mom said I didn’t trust him at first, that I kept asking where Dad was. I guess Demetrius didn’t like that and kept trying to be ‘Dad.’ I used the cliché ‘you’re not my _real_ dad’ line a few too many times. Mom tried to get me to listen to him, but I was a stubborn kid. He started to dole out random punishments and curfews and shit to spite me. And he still does! Who tells their kid not to build a snowman? He doesn’t realize I’m not a fucking child anymore. I’m a grown adult. He can’t keep treating me like that.”

Sebastian’s face was turning red, and you gripped his hand tightly. “And it’s obvious he likes Maru more than me. I guess I get it. She’s his actual kid. But the favoritism is so blatant. She can do no wrong in his eyes. And growing up Mom was gone a lot so she didn’t see how he acted with us every day.

I do resent not really knowing my actual dad. He called for my birthday most years, but we haven’t seen him in probably a decade. Last time I found him online he was in some random city on the west coast. With a new family, no less.”

The anger in Sebastian’s eyes had faded into a kind of sadness and you leaned your head against his shoulder. “Hey. He may have been a shit dad, but I don’t think it’s too late to improve things with Demetrius. And maybe after I yell at him a few more times, he’ll get the idea.” Sebastian snorted at that before you continued. “But seriously. However I can support you, I’m here.”

The calm of night settled over the lake as you and Sebastian sat and watched the wildlife scurry around you. Before the light in Linus’ campfire had fully extinguished and the creatures on your farm would be active, you parted ways for the evening: Sebastian to his computer, and you to your farmhouse.

\---

Thunder rumbled into your bedroom, and you woke to a gloomy darkness that replaced the usual ray of sunlight that greeted you each morning. You knew Sebastian would love this weather and texted him a trio of frog emojis to greet him when he woke up in a few hours.

Slipping on your raincoat and grabbing the umbrella by the door, you grabbed your fishing gear and fed the animals before heading south towards the beach. Today would be a great day to fill your cooler and then fill your wallet after Willy purchased your catches.

Ahead of you, a dark figure exited Marnie’s ranch and trudged slowly towards town. You and Shane didn’t usually cross paths, but he had slowly warmed up to you over the seasons as you delivered pizza, fresh peppers, and cheese-stuffed pepper poppers when you saw him at the Saloon. Recently, you noticed that his usual beer had been replaced by cans of sparkling water, but he still occupied his usual corner of the bar.

You quickly caught up to him and held the umbrella over both of you, greeting him as you approached.

“Hey, Alyse. Thanks, but you don’t need to walk with me.”

“It’s no problem! I’m just on my way to fish so I can start near Joja. Keep you a little bit drier.”

“Thank you.”

You walked in silence for a few moments, feet splashing in the puddles of muddy rain forming on the path.

“So… I haven’t really seen you too much since that night in the forest.” You interrupted the silence. “How are you doing? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Shane sighed. That night certainly wasn’t one he would want to remember, if he even could. You sincerely thought he wouldn’t make it through the night after you found him soaked in alcohol and freezing rain in the forest last fall.

“I am… better. I’m still seeing the counselor in Zuzu that Harvey recommended, and I’m starting group therapy next week too. Some days are harder than others. But overall I’m not anywhere close to that night anymore.”

“I’m really glad to hear that, Shane. You’ll let me know if there’s anything I can help you with, right? Even if you just need some pepper poppers after a long day at work.”

You saw the hint of a smile from under Shane’s hood. “You know I’ll never turn down anything with peppers.”

“Oh! I just made some pepper jelly. I’ll drop some off tomorrow. It’s _delicious_ on toast.”

You passed the rest of the walk asking about Shane’s experience with raising chickens and planning an expansion to your coop.

You walked Shane to the sliding doors of Joja, and he continued into the doorway before quickly turning back to you. “Thank you, Alyse. For saving me that night and for continuing to… actually care about me. I really appreciate our friendship.”

“I’m really happy you’re still here. And that you consider me your friend.” You smiled. “I’m serious, if you ever need anything, I’m just a farm away.”

Shane nodded and entered the store and you heard Morris shouting just as the doors closed behind him.


	5. Errands

Cracking one final, icy boulder, you placed yet another Frozen Geode in your bag and turned in time to swipe at a pack of dust sprites bounding around the corner. You beat back the tiny demons in annoyance as you gathered your backpack and headed towards the ladder descending to the next level of the mine, checking your watch to be sure of the time: only 9:00 pm. You had time for another floor, then you’d head home. You felt the temperature drop as you slowly climbed down the wooden rungs, and your breath fogged in the air. Dropping to the ground, you glanced around the floor, empty save for a shining red chest, another ladder, and a vast blue lake.

You opened the chest to reveal a shimmery dagger seemingly made out of crystal. Taking a few practice jabs, you swept around the room, enjoying the feel of the second weapon in combination with your sword. Maybe Marlon would teach you how to properly wield it.

The underground lake glittered in the dark, barely illuminated by the glowing ring around your finger. Intrigued, you sat by the water and wished you had brought your fishing rod, noticing the small pockets of bubbles appearing on the lake’s surface. You enjoyed a few moments of calm silence before returning to the elevator and beginning your ascent to the surface.

You slowly rose to the top of the mine, and your phone began buzzing as it regained signals and received messages, all from Sebastian in response to the text you sent him earlier.

_Alyse, 3:00 pm < Heading to the mines! I plan to be out by 10, 11 at the latest. Will call when I leave! >_

_Sebastian, 3:14 pm < Okay be safe! >_

_S, 5:42 pm < I know you said you’ll be in there all afternoon but I still worry _ _😬 >_

_S, 7:23 pm < Abigail said you better take her next time. Out of all the monsters you face, angry Abby may be the scariest. >_

_S, 8:40 < Still worried. I don’t think that will change soon. >_

_A, 9:35 < Just got out of the lower levels, will call when I start walking home! >_

Once you reached the entrance to the mines, you plugged a set of earbuds into your phone before exchanging your thick work gloves for soft, warm mittens. As you stepped out of the entrance to the mines, the stars shined gloriously above you, crystal clear against the darkness of the sky. This was possibly your favorite part about living in the Valley; you couldn’t see past the streetlights back in the city. 

As you passed Linus’ tent, you noticed the embers of his campfire were still smoldering. Reaching into your backpack, you pulled out a small bag of Snow Yams and Winter Roots you had found earlier in the day and left it in front of his tent. Linus was a kind man, and often misunderstood by some of the other townspeople. You two had gotten quite close and he had recently invited you over to teach you a recipe for a new type of fish bait.

Silently stepping away from the tent, you turned towards the path home and pulled out your phone and slipped in your earbuds, dialing Sebastian’s number as you stepped onto the dirt road north of your farm.

His voice was warm when he answered: “Glad to hear you made it out of the mines okay!”

“Today was easy,” you chuckled. “Really just a lot of dust sprites and some bats. How was your day?”

“Not bad, I finished one job for a client and he gave me another! So I’m not complaining. How about you? Did you get a good haul down there?”

“Pretty good over here. I racked up a ton of geodes in the mine, so I’ll take them to Clint tomorrow- hopefully there’s something good inside ‘em.”

“Have you ever found any Obsidian? That stuff looks so cool.” Sebastian’s desk chair creaked in the background.

“Not yet! Based on what Clint has told me about various gems and minerals, I wouldn’t find that until I reach the hotter, deeper levels. Today I was on a few icy floors. I did find a cool crystal that looks like a frozen teardrop. So that’s pretty neat.”

“You found a Frozen Tear??” I could hear Sebastian’s excitement at this revelation. “I’ve never seen one in person! Can I see it tomorrow? I’ve only seen them online and in magazines. They’re pretty rare!”

“Oh wow! I didn’t know they were that rare. Sure, do you want to visit Clint with me tomorrow? The geodes I found today may have some more Frozen Tears or something else you may like.”

“Yeah! What time?”

“Meet on the farm at noon?”

“Sounds good.”

“So how long have you been interested in crystals and stuff? I just hadn’t heard that from you before.”

“I’ve been interested in geology for a while now. Demetrius took us to a convention when we were little. It was just supposed to be just him and Maru but Mom had an unexpected job and couldn’t find a sitter, so I tagged along. _Never_ tell Demetrius, but I had a really good time. I’ve been collecting stones ever since.”

“I find all sorts of weird stuff in the mines so I’ll be sure to let you look over everything!” You stopped in front of the northern entrance to your farm. “I hate to pause the conversation, but I need to be quiet for a few minutes when I head onto the farm. I usually don’t see any creatures out this early, but better safe than sorry.”

“Okay. I’ll stay on the line. Just let me know when you’re inside.”

“Will do. I just need to double check the doors on the barn and then I’ll head home.”

You stepped carefully over the stone path towards the barn, avoiding the loose gravel that might cause you to slip. All the animals were sleeping contently inside the barn and you turned back down the path towards your home. Stepping across the threshold, you locked the door behind you, sliding the deadbolt into place.

“I’m in! Animals are all safe, and the door is locked.”

“Glad to hear it, Alyse.” You could almost see his smile through the phone.

“So tell me about this new job your client gave you.”

Sebastian described his upcoming project as you puttered around the kitchen, making tea and warming a leftover bowl of pumpkin soup. As you ate, Sebastian regaled you with stories of some of the worst clients he ever had: people who refused to pay for a complete job, and those who had no idea what they actually needed from a programmer.

You chimed in with horror stories from Joja before you had to hang up for the night. “Going down in the mines always wears me out. But it’s good to hear your voice. Do you… want to stay the night tomorrow?”

“Absolutely.”

“This reminds me that we should go on an actual date soon.”

“Yes we should. We can plan it tomorrow?”

“That sounds good.” Your heart was warm at his ease. Not all your exes had been like this.

“I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I hope you sleep well tonight.”

You bit your lip and smiled as you responded, “I can’t wait to see you too. Good night, Sebastian.”

You fell asleep with a grin on your face, dreaming of Sebastian holding you in the night.

\---

Sebastian arrived shortly before noon, knocking on your farmhouse door as you were busy on the side of the house, sorting geodes and stones in a large chest.

You called out once you heard his knock: “Over here, Sebastian! Behind the mailbox.”

He dropped his small overnight bag on your porch and rounded the corner to see you hauling geodes from the box, dividing them into two backpacks to transport to Clint’s. You had a decent amount for him to crack open today, between the ones you found yesterday and some from a few days ago that you hadn’t had time to bring over.

Sebastian walked up and kissed your forehead as he pulled you in for a hug. “I’m glad to see you.”

You smiled and gazed up at him. “I’m happy to see you too.”

He grinned and bent down to kiss you. Before he could completely pull away, you stood on your tiptoes to kiss him again and pulled him closer by his hoodie strings, careful not to dirty his sweatshirt with your work gloves. His hands dipped to your waist as the kiss deepened, lips opening and tongues teasing. He slid his tongue into your mouth, and you tore your gloves off, weaving your fingers through his hair to bring him closer to you.

After several minutes pressed against the sturdy storage chest, Sebastian pulled away, running his hands up and down your side. “I would love to do this all day, but don’t we need to head out?”

You cleared your throat and smoothed your hair, “Hm. Yes. I do need to actually go to Clint’s today.”

Sebastian leaned in for one final peck before whispering in your ear, “We can pick this up when we get inside later.”

You blushed in response and turned to the matter at hand: dozens of geodes waiting to be hauled across town. “Would you mind carrying one backpack? I need to invest in a cart or something, but today…” You held out a backpack filled with the stones.

“No problem.” Sebastian swung the backpack over his shoulders, wincing at the sudden weight. “Damn, this is heavy. You carry this home from the mines every time?”

“I actually gave you the light one,” you chuckled. “Yeah, most days I’m in the mines I fill the bag up all the way. Sometimes it’s a little lighter, but it just depends what I find.”

Sebastian slipped his hand into yours as you started the walk towards Clint’s shop, the winter air crisp under the afternoon sun.

\---

Clint was his usual grunt self as he cracked open all the geodes you and Sebastian plunked down on the anvil. You were excited to find three new gems for the museum collection: Opal, Geminite, and a Fairy Stone.

“Your total is $1,200.” Clint gruffly announced, accepting the coins you pulled from a pouch on your backpack. “Thanks for your business.”

You waved at him as you left the shop, “See you soon, Clint! Have a good day!”

After the door closed, Sebastian spoke up, “Is he always like that?”

“Eh, he’s usually a little grumpy. He’s totally in love with Emily, but she doesn’t seem to know he feels that way. That would make anyone cranky.”

“I guess…”

You stopped in front of the library and gestured to the door. “I need to stop in here real quick and drop off a few things we just got. And I think you’ll want to see the collection I’ve been working on.”

“A crystal collection? Count me in!”

Gunther looked up from his book at the sound of the door’s soft chime and tipped his hat as you and Sebastian entered the library.

“Good afternoon, Alyse. Sebastian.”

“Hi, Gunther!” You replied, “I have a few more pieces for our display.”

“What would we do without you? Show me what you found.”

You pulled out the Opal, Geminite, and Fairy Stone from your bag, and added a small statue of a chicken that you had dug up on the farm early that morning.

“Wonderful finds, Alyse.” Gunther smiled as he inspected the gems in front of him. “You know the drill: place them where you think is best and let me know if you want any help.”

You signaled for Sebastian to follow you past the towering shelves of books into the museum portion of the building. So far, you had managed to fill half the room with colorful gems and crystals, rusty artifacts, and several scrolls of a strange language. You set down your bag in the corner and went about finding the right place for your new treasures. “Sebastian, where do you think the opal would fit best? I was going for a color-sorted system originally, but I was also thinking of separating the iridescent ones on another shelf.”

No answer. You turned around to see if he was still in the room.

Sebastian’s eyes were wide as he wandered through the aisles of the museum, stopping to stare at the Prismatic Shard you and Gunther had arranged on a pedestal. “This is… incredible. How did I not know this was back here? You found all of these?”

“I did!” You joined him by the shelf and picked up the Prismatic Shard from its resting place to hand it to Sebastian. “I’ve actually found two of these so far. They’re incredibly rare, but I’ve been incredibly lucky.”

Sebastian fell silent as he examined the crystal in his hands, turning it every which way to see inside the structure, just as you had when you first discovered the treasure. The crystal was unique; it seemed to radiate light from within, throwing a whole rainbow spectrum on whatever surface it rested on.

“This is amazing. Yoba, I would have gone crazy seeing this as a kid.” His voice was soft as he gently placed the stone back on its pedestal. He gestured to the Frozen Tear on the shelf, and you nodded that he could pick it up. He held the crystal up to the light, refracting sparkles across the room. Crossing the room together, Sebastian examined each stone, mineral, and gem as you explained where and when you found them. You spent another hour in the museum with him, enjoying how intrigued he was with the collection. As you left the building, you called to Gunther, promising to bring more collectibles soon.

Sebastian brought up your finds after leaving the museum: “So you already had a Frozen Tear in the museum collection. What are you doing with the one you found yesterday?”

“I actually need that for a special project.” You slid your hand into his as you walked across the bridge by the now-vacant ice cream stand. “I can show you what I’m working on. But you have to keep it a secret!”

“A secret, huh?” Sebastian lifted an eyebrow and glanced down at you. “Sure, I think I can manage that.”

On the walk to the Community Center, you explained that Lewis had unlocked it for you shortly after you moved in. At first, you were only supposed to get rid of the rats, but soon you realized it wasn’t rats living in the building. Since then, you had been repairing the Community Center bit by bit, with the help of the Junimo.

“You remember our conversation about the strange creatures on my farm, right?”

“How could I forget?” Sebastian shivered and shoved his empty hand in his hoodie pocket.

“There are other creatures who live in this town. They’re called Junimos, and they are incredibly friendly.” You arrived at the Community Center, Sebastian slowly trailing behind you. “They’re super cute, and they might approach you when we go inside, but they’re harmless.”

Sebastian nodded in apprehension, “Okay.”

You opened the door and flicked on the overhead light, barely illuminating the partially renovated common area. The Junimo’s hut sat in the far corner, and you heard soft, cheerful noises coming from their home. You grabbed Sebastian’s hand again and pulled him through the doorway.

“So like I said earlier, I’ve been cleaning up the Community Center. But the Junimo have done all the actual work. My part in this is to supply them with the materials they need, and they work their magic.” You set your backpack on the floor and pulled out the Frozen Tear and a Nautilus Shell. “After I bring them what they need, they fix a room, and sometimes they also fix up things around town. Like the bus stop!”

“The Junimos fixed that?” Sebastian seemed perturbed by all this new information. “We thought Lewis finally dug into his safe to fix that up.”

“Nope, it was the Junimos. Come here, see what we did.”

You toured Sebastian through the craft room, kitchen, pantry, vault, and boiler room before stopping in front of the bulletin board. He took it all in stride, still in awe of the unseen Junimos.

Holding up the shell and crystal in your hand, you turned to Sebastian and gestured towards the papers on the bulletin board. “These are the last two pieces of this request. So we’ll see a Junimo when they come to collect the stuff. Are you ready?”

Sebastian nodded. “I’m excited but a little nervous.”

“I freaked out when I saw them the first time!” You smiled to reassure him. “Trust me, they are the most adorable creatures ever.”

Nodding to Sebastian, you placed the Frozen Tear and Nautilus Shell in small wooden boxes stacked below the bulletin board. As you slid the last Shell into place, you heard a soft squeal coming from the Junimo hut on the other side of the room. A blue Junimo appeared in the small doorway, and delicately waved before bounding towards you. As it reached your feet, you bent down to offer you hand, smiling, and beckoned Sebastian to do the same. He knelt next to you, eyes wide as you interacted with the round sprite. The Junimo made noises of delight as it gently placed its small limbs into both of your hands. The small, cheerful creature jumped in place before turning to the boxes containing the requested items. It continued to jump before suddenly spinning and producing a small gold star. You noticed all the requested items had disappeared as the Junimo began its journey to the fireplace, slowed by the weight of the star it held.

“What… what just happened?” Sebastian, eyes still wide, stared at the Junimo as it walked away.

“I brought the last piece of this little puzzle: the last requested item. The Junimo… they just work their magic,” you shrugged. “He’s going to put the star above the mantle. Now I just need a few more items for the boiler room and then the whole center will be complete.”

You quietly watched as the Junimo approached the center mantle, spinning and jumping once again to fling the star onto the plaque above the fireplace. The creature followed you and Sebastian to the door, and you took a moment to say goodbye to it, once again offering your hand before waving farewell and stepping outside. The Junimo remained inside, waving as the door closed behind you.

Once outside, Sebastian’s dazed look continued, not fully understanding what he just saw. You wrapped your arm through his, rubbing his forearm through the hoodie. “They’re super cute, right? I learned pretty quickly they don’t like to be pet- they kept running away from me when I did that. But they seem to like shaking hands like that.”

“It was really cute. I’m just still in shock that there are magical creatures living in my town!”

“Imagine how I felt!” You guided Sebastian to the path back to your farm, eager to get some coffee or hot chocolate to warm you up. “I moved here expecting a normal farm and I got monsters, Junimo, and a Wizard.”

“Shit, is he actually magical? Like a real wizard? Parents always told us he was just a crazy old guy and to leave him alone.”

“Nope, he is actually a wizard with magical powers. He helped me figure out what the Junimo wanted! He does like to be left alone, so they were right about that at least. And he is nice once you get to know him. Linus is friends with him too.”

“It’s like there’s a whole side to Pelican Town I just didn’t know about.”

You gently nudged his side and smiled. “We’ll have to get you out of the basement more often then. Explore a bit.”

“That sounds good.” Sebastian leaned over to kiss your head. “So what should we do for our first real date? Have dinner with the Wizard?”

You laughed at that, imagining Sebastian and Rasmodius sharing a dinner table. “I love the Valley, but it’s nice to just visit the city. How about a night in Zuzu? I’m sure we can find a great sushi place!”

“Oh, I can tell you my favorite spot right now: Gochi Sushi off of Zuzu Boulevard. I dream about their salmon sashimi.”

The farmhouse came into view as you passed the bus stop. “Yum! Okay tomorrow and Monday are a no-go: I need to prep the farm, and then on Monday I’ll be planting cauliflower all day. But Tuesday would work?”

“Tuesday is perfect. I’ll call the restaurant, see if we need a reservation.”

Stepping onto the porch, you stomped snow from your boots and invited Sebastian inside as he picked up the overnight bag he dropped there earlier. He settled on the couch as you turned on the kettle and gathered mugs, tea, and honey. Soon, the water boiled and you steeped bags of green tea, handing a mug to Sebastian as you curled into the couch next to him, reminiscent of your first night together. Sebastian wrapped his arm around you, running his hand up and down your arm. You leaned into him, enjoying the warmth of his body heat as you sipped your tea.

You sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before speaking. “So, we’re going on our first date after we’ve already slept together.”

He chuckled, “We skipped the usual third-date thing, huh? Just went right for it.”

“I’m not complaining!” You smirked into your mug. “We’re just ahead of the curve.”

“Well,” he said, taking your cup and placing both mugs of still-steaming tea on the table. “As long as you’re not complaining, we need to pick up where we left off earlier…”

He tilted your face up to meet his, pressing his lips to yours and sliding his hand to cup your cheek. Turning in his arms, you moved to kneel beside him, hands resting on his face. He parted his lips and you slid your tongue into his mouth, carefully exploring his lips as he guided you onto his lap, knees on either side of his hips. 

He wrapped his arms around you, hand sliding beneath your shirt to caress the soft skin on your back as you threaded your fingers through his shaggy hair. You ground down onto his lap, feeling denim against denim and wanting less fabric between you.

With one hand cradling your neck and the other holding your hips, Sebastian twisted your bodies so you lay beneath him on the couch, legs wrapped around his waist and fingers still intertwined in his hair. Sebastian trailed his lips down your neck as he slowly unbuttoned your shirt, placing kisses on the newly revealed skin. You sighed in contentment, enjoying the feeling of his lips on your body.

Your tea grew cold, forgotten on the coffee table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In addition to writing this chapter, I've spent a good amount of time planning how I want this story to develop. Thanks for sticking with me so far! I'm excited to share my ideas with you! Comments and kudos always appreciated.


	6. It's a Faire!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abigail makes a discovery, and Sebastian stays the night again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who left kudos on this story over the last few weeks! Seeing the continued interest in this piece really helped me get back to working on it. I was stuck in a big writer's block and had to take some time for some other creative projects before coming back to this. Thank you for your patience and your support!

Later that night, on the final Friday of Winter, you and Sebastian joined Sam and Abigail at the Saloon for the usual pizza and pool.

You sat on the couch, bantering with Sam as Sebastian sunk striped-ball after striped-ball in the corner pockets. With each shot he failed to sink, Sam pouted and looked more and more like his brother Vincent during a tantrum. Abigail chimed in on the fun as she scrolled through her phone on the cushion next to you. Just after Sebastian claimed another point, she squealed and shoved her phone in front of your face as she shouted to the room, “Hey! There’s a Renaissance Faire next weekend!”

Sam looked up from the table where he was attempting to line up the perfect angle. “Oh, cool. Last year when we missed it we swore to make the next one. Where is it?”

Abigail scrolled through the event page before responding, “It’s north of Zuzu, and it’s only next weekend. Do you guys still have your Solarion costumes?”

Your raised your eyebrows at this. “You have costumes?”

Sebastian blushed and elbowed Sam to continue their game. “Yeah, we dressed up for the Spirit’s Eve Festival last year. I was a wizard and Sam was a healer. Abigail, you were a princess, right?”

“Yeah, but I think I want to be a bard this time… I’ll see if Emily can alter my dress! Alyse, what about you?”

“Uh… I definitely don’t have any costumes.” You flipped through your closet in your mind, thinking of any pieces you could put together. Work clothes took of up the majority of your wardrobe, save for a few nicer garments from your Joja days.

“I’m sure Emily would love a challenge!” Abigail rose from the couch and pulled you towards the bar. “Let’s go ask her.”

You shrugged at Sebastian and he smiled as you followed Abigail out of the room. The blue-haired seamstress at the bar was more than happy to be asked for help.

“Oh my gosh, YES. I’ve been feeling really uninspired lately so this would be a great opportunity. Can you come by tomorrow morning? Abs, bring your costume and we’ll figure something out for both of you.”

You thanked Emily and ordered another round of beer for the group before returning to the game room, handing out the glasses to your friends. Sebastian placed his arm around your waist as you leaned against the pool table.

“So, I haven’t been to a Renaissance Faire since I was young,” you said. “What is there to do?”

Sam replied from his new spot on the couch, “There’s usually some shows to watch, like jousting and fights and some cool singers. One time they had a pirate ship ride, but Abigail got sick. Drinking, of course. Oh! And those giant turkey legs.” He seemed to drool at the memory as Sebastian cut in.

“They have really cool vendors too. Period costumes, jewelry, a bunch of handcrafted stuff. I think you’ll like it.”

“Awesome!” You replied. “I should be able to get all my chores done early enough so we can have most of the day there.”

“Huzzah!” Abigail rose from the couch, beer uplifted to toast the occasion. “Let us celebrate, my fellows! For in half a fortnight, we feast on turkey legs and mead!”

Laughing at Abigail’s attempt at Renaissance-era speech, you all raised your glasses and toasted to the event. The night passed with more drinks, pizza, and watching Sebastian absolutely crush Sam in pool. Hours later, Gus ushered you out the front door as he and Emily closed the Saloon.

Sam peeled off from the group to head home, and you, Sebastian, and Abigail continued across the town square.

“Fare thee well, madame. I must away!” Abigail dropped into a deep curtsy, and you followed suit, mimicking her fake skirts. You both chuckled and hugged goodbye before she unlocked her door and Sebastian followed you towards your farm, hand resting on your hip as you walked.

“A wizard, huh?” You teased Sebastian as you passed the bus stop. “Should I expect shiny robes and a pointed hat? Do you have a wand?”

“Nah, only Abby got hers from a cheesy costume store. Sam and I ordered ours through a guy who makes serious Solarion pieces. I think I have a picture actually.”

Pulling out his phone, Sebastian scrolled through his camera roll until he found a picture of his costume on a hanger: mahogany-hued leather pieces draped over brilliant cerulean robes speckled with gold. “I guess I don’t have any of me actually wearing it, but it looks really cool. Exactly how I imagined my Solarion character at the time to look.”

You pulled the phone close to your face and zoomed in on the image. “Those colors are beautiful. I can’t wait to see it in person!”

Sebastian pocketed his phone as slipped his hand into yours as you reached the entrance to your farm. “I’m still spending the night, right?”

“Of course! But the weather is beautiful, and we have some more time before we have to be inside. Let’s check on the animals and sit outside for a bit.”

Sitting on the old porch stairs after all your animals were sheltered inside the barn, you leaned into Sebastian as he wrapped his arm around your waist, gently stroking your side as he spoke. The crystal dagger you found in the mines sat beside you, in case any creatures decided to test their luck before midnight.

“What are you thinking for your costume?”

“I really don’t know. I’ve played as a few cool characters, but nothing really jumped out at me. I think it will all depend on what Emily can do.”

“You’ll look great in anything.” Sebastian kissed your cheek and drew you closer to him as a heavy breeze gave you a chill.

The stars twinkled above you as he filled you in on the group’s previous trip to a Faire: Sam ate 4 giant turkey legs and got sick on the way home, Abigail loved the singing troupe of pirates that flirted with all the girls, and Sebastian got scared in the castle-themed haunted house.

Suddenly, in the middle of his story, you heard a noise in the darkness and your head whipped around towards the source. Your voice was low as you picked up your dagger and addressed Sebastian: “Stand up slowly, open the door, and watch out for the squeaky floorboard on the left.”

As you spoke, the creature in the dark moved, the noise of cracking branches and shifting gravel growing closer as Sebastian entered the house. You stood up from the stairs and slowly backed towards the door, keeping your eyes on the shadows in the distance. Sebastian quickly shut the door once you were inside, sliding the deadbolt into place and falling back against the wood, willing his heart rate to slow down.

You grabbed his hand and peeked through the window, no longer seeing any movement in the dark as you placed the dagger on the entryway table. “Sorry, Sebastian! I didn’t mean to scare you, but I couldn’t see what it was. We’re all good.”

Sebastian pulled you to him, wrapping his arms around you and placing his chin on top of your head. “I’m okay… just still crazy that you actually live like this.”

You chuckled into his chest, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you. These muscles aren’t just from pulling up parsnips.”

Leaning your head back to smile up at his, you snaked your hands up his chest to play with the strings on his hoodie. “Maybe I should teach you some basic defense skills. It would make me feel better about having you over at night.”

“I’d like that too. Give this wizard some defense points.”

“I think we can arrange that soon…” You stood on your tip toes to plant a kiss on his cheek, and he leaned in to follow your lips. His hands ran along your waist as his lips caressed your jaw.

“How is it…” Sebastian’s voice was low in his throat as he punctuated each sentence with a kiss along your neck, “that I am more impressed with you every single day. You fight monsters, you run an entire farm, and you’re rebuilding the heart of the town. Is there anything you can’t do?”

Sebastian spun you around, so you were now pressed between his body and the door. You tossed your head back against the wood as he nibbled at your ear. Suddenly, he pulled away and looked straight at you, cheeks flushed.

“Seriously, Alyse. You amaze me. I’m really to be with you.”

You blushed at his praise. “And I’m insanely lucky to be with you too.”

Sebastian smiled and hastily closed the gap between you, your lips parting to welcome his own. The heat between you was immediate; not a slow build, but burning hunger as soon as his lips touched yours. You ran your hands down his chest and slipped them under his hoodie and shirt, breaking the kiss for just a moment to pull the garments off his body. He began to return the favor and tugged the loose fabric of your blouse over your head, one hand retreating to fondle your breast and the other moving to undo the bra clasp behind you.

You nudged Sebastian towards the bedroom as you left a trail of discarded clothes in your wake, jeans and tops strewn across the hardwood floor. Stumbling into the bedroom, lips still urgently locked, you pushed Sebastian onto the mattress, quickly climbing up the straddle him as he arranged himself on the comforter.

His swollen lips captured yours again and he gently raked his nails down your back. You hissed in pleasure and he smirked beneath you, hips grinding into you as his hand continued to roam your body. You reached forward to open your bedside drawer for a condom, and Sebastian took the opportunity to wrap his lips around your nipple, gently nipping with his teeth as he slipped your panties to the side. One finger slid into your folds and you moaned as you continued to search for the hidden protection in the drawer. Locating the small packet, you sat back up, your nipple leaving Sebastian’s mouth with a _pop_. He continued to work his finger inside you, thumb gently brushing your clit as he gazed up at you.

Condom in hand, you slid down his body, leaving open-mouthed kisses on his skin. You pulled the waistband of his boxers down, and his dick rose from its confines. You placed a kiss near the base of his shaft as you pulled Sebastian’s boxers off his legs, your own soaked panties following shortly after.

You tore open the condom, tossing the packaging aside before slowly rolling the rubber onto Sebastian. He made a tortured noise as you did so, head thrown back against your pillows. You laughed and moved to straddle him once again, the tip of his cock teasing your entrance as you leaned down to kiss Sebastian. He greedily responded, hands moving to your hips and lips claiming your own before you slowly sunk down onto his cock, moans erupting from both of you as you felt his fullness.

“Yoba. Sebastian. Fuck, you feel good.” You hadn’t moved yet, adjusting to his size before languidly beginning to lift your hips. He cursed under his breath as you moved, and gripped your hips tightly, willing you even closer to his body.

He snapped his hips up into you, matching the steady rhythm you had set. The room was silent save for your gasps as Sebastian hit the perfect spot with each thrust. You felt yourself lose coherence with every movement, and all that mattered was the man below you. After one particularly well-timed thrust, you crumpled on top of Sebastian, lips meeting again as he continued to push into you.

You moaned into his mouth at the different sensation this new position provided, and snaked a hand between you to deftly flick the bundle of nerves between your thighs. Sebastian brought one hand to your breast to swirl his thumb around your nipple as he trailed kisses to your neck, whispering in your ear.

“Cum for me, Alyse.”

You saw stars as the world around you fell to pieces, Sebastian’s hand on your hip the only thing grounding you to reality.


	7. Dress Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abigail and the farmer get costume help from Emily.

Sebastian’s breakfast skills were getting even better: this morning he added cheese grits to the menu and blueberries to your pancakes, opting to douse his own in freshly tapped maple syrup.

When you arrived for your costume appointment after saying goodbye to the raven-haired chef in your kitchen, Abigail was already dressed in a silky purple gown, standing perfectly still as Emily strategically pinned fabric around her body.

Emily offered a warm greeting as you entered the house, “Good morning! Abigail showed up a little early so we got to work. I think I almost have her top layer ready. We’re going to cut the dress to mid-thigh and use the extra fabric to add wider sleeves and an underlayer after I dye it. Abs, I’m thinking a navy blue?”

“Yes! I forgot to bring it, but I have the matching belt at home. It has some navy embroidered on it, so that would be great.”

Emily continued her work, ushering Abigail to step into a long skirt that barely skimmed the ground around Abigail’s boots. The two chatted about accessories and layers and hairstyles as you listened from a distance, taking a tour around Emily and Haley’s living room.

The walls were covered with family photographs from far-flung locations: young Emily and Haley beamed from the pictures, covered in snow or basking in the rays of a tropical sun with their parents. There were some beautiful nature shots bearing Haley’s watermark interspersed with the family portraits, offering a glimpse into Haley’s hobby. Emily once mentioned that their parents were full-time travelers now, sending postcards and gifts from all corners of the world. She and Haley seemed to get on well enough without them, but you could see a wistfulness in Emily’s eyes whenever she spoke of her absent mother and father.

But today, Emily was in full excitement mode, pulling out pins, bobbins, and more from the chests and cabinets in her sewing area. By the time you returned to the front room, the draped cloth around Abigail resembled a brand-new gown.

“This is incredible, Emily!” Abigail turned to examine the garment in the mirror, smiling at her friend’s reflection. “Thank you so much!”

Emily clapped as she studied the purple silk, “It was my pleasure! Be very careful as you take it off; we don’t want any pins to come loose.”

Abigail nodded and stepped off the small box Emily was using as a platform, heading to Emily’s room to change. Emily gestured at you to step onto her makeshift dais.

She spun around you, lifting your arms and measuring your body as she jotted down numbers in her phone. “Now, what are you thinking Alyse? Princess? Pirate queen? Barmaid? Wizard?”

Your eyes lit up with a thought. “Can you make me a warrior elf? Think Legolas in Lord of the Rings.”

“Absolutely! I know I have some braces and a tunic here…” Emily dug through the chests in her sewing area, locating a dark green tunic and leather braces. She handed them to you as she continued her search, pulling out various leather pieces.

“Oh! If you can bring me a few yards of wool I can make you a cloak. It’s still chilly so you’ll need it. And it’ll be the perfect accessory! Do you have a light brown long sleeve shirt or dark brown leggings? I think I can make both in time but ideally you’d have one of the pieces.”

You nodded in response, “Yes, I have a shirt.”

“Great!” Emily wrapped a thick belt around your waist. “You’ll wear that under this tunic. Put the braces on over the sleeves. I have some fingerless gloves here too- bring those with your regular gloves in case it warms up a little bit during the day. The boots you’re wearing will actually work well with this outfit. Now it’s just about the little details…”

She continued to adorn you with small pouches, arm wraps, belts, and simple jewelry. When she finally guided you to her mirror, you already felt like a warrior elf, despite the lack of cloak, undershirt, or leggings.

“Emily, I’m going to look amazing! Thank you so much.”

“It’s no problem!” Emily grinned at your reflection. “I love dressing people up.”

Abigail chimed in from her new position on the couch, “You look great, Alyse! Emily, would you also be able to make me a cloak? Mine is a cheap frilly thing from like, Party City.”

Emily returned her gaze to your image in the glass. “Alyse, do you have enough fabric?”

“Yes, I can bring enough for two cloaks. But that’s it!” You chuckled, “No cloaks for Sam or Sebastian!”

“Did Sebastian not show you his costume? It’s intense,” Abigail shook her head as Emily began packing up her tools, “Sam saved up for almost a whole month for his costume, and Sebastian took on 3 extra jobs to pay for his. They spared no expense.”

“That’s some serious dedication,” you responded, turning in the mirror to see your new costume from every angle. “Hey, would either of them have those fake elf ears?”

Abigail snorted, “I think you’re underestimating how big of a nerd Sebastian is. I guarantee he has at least three pairs in different sizes.”

You smiled and pulled out your phone. “Let’s find out.”

Alyse: < Do you have elf ears I could borrow for the faire? >

Sebastian: < I have a few pairs. Do you want super pointy or like not as intense dwarf ears? >

You smiled as you read his message to Abigail, who cackled in response to his collection.

Yep, you were in love with a _total_ nerd.


	8. Beer and Turkey Legs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang visits the 22nd Annual Zuzu Renaissance Faire!

The first week of Spring passed with mud, seeds, and sweat, and you hadn’t seen Sebastian much since Sunday night. Not for his lack of trying of course, but the first few days of any new season were difficult as you rotated your entire crop selection. Spring added in the extra challenge of tilling the freshly thawed ground, buried under a layer of snow and ice for the last few weeks. Your planned date on Tuesday had come and gone, with the promise of an evening out undone by a sick calf, a fallen tree, and a leak in your shed.

On Saturday morning, you woke up before the sun, rubbing your eyes in the darkness. Your new mornings as a farmer were already early, but you wanted extra time today to complete your chores and get ready for your outing. Two hours later, the still-sleepy animals were fed, crops were watered, and you were in the shower, washing off the early-morning grime. You dried your hair as coffee brewed and enjoyed a cup while you watched the sun rise across your land before gathering your costume pieces. Today would be a good day.

\---

Emily had outdone what she promised. You stood in front of your mirror, in awe of her craftsmanship. The pants she had sewn were incredibly comfortable and featured an intertwining green and gold leaf pattern up the leg. The rich green cloak barely graced the floor as you moved around the room. It clasped at your neck with a shining gold leaf fastener, which matched the embroidery throughout the tunic and leggings. With the masterful combinations of the accessories she let you borrow, you truly felt like a warrior. You braided sections of your hair, à la Legolas, and fastened into the largest braid the one piece of jewelry you contributed to the ensemble: a small gold hair clip set with green stones. Sebastian had dropped off a pair of elf ears earlier in the week, and you took a little too long in trying to get them to stick on your ears.

Obviously, no real weapons were allowed inside the Faire, so you had struggled to find something to accompany your costume. Finally, you found a scabbard that held the original blade Marlon gave you. You tried it on and were pleased with the results: it gave the costume more authenticity without being bulky or obtrusive. Slipping your phone and wallet into one of the pouches on your waist, you headed out the door to meet your friends at the Bus Stop.

You heard Abigail’s flute and excited voice before you rounded the corner to meet your friends who were huddled around Pierre’s truck, borrowed by Abigail for the day with the promise of no speeding and no parking tickets.

Sebastian’s costume was even more stunning in person. The rich blue robes gleamed in the sun as light danced off the gold thread embroidered across the fabric. His lightweight cloak was a dark cream that complimented the blue and gold fabric and leather accessories. He pulled the hood over his head, and his face disappeared in the darkness, no longer Sebastian, but a true wizard.

Sam’s costume was equally handsome: light gray wool embroidered with silvery threads underneath a deep grey cloak. Around his waist, a black leather belt held pouches, vials with colored liquids, and a small set of plastic medical instruments. He wore fingerless gloves to match yours in a dark charcoal.

Abigail sparkled like a fiery purple star in the morning sun. Emily’s reimagined dress was incredible: layers of dark navy ended mid calf, with an overlayer of the silky violet hanging above her dark leather boots. Assorted wraps, belts, jewelry, and Abigail’s signature wooden flute completed her bard ensemble. Her cloak was a light lavender, which complimented the deep purple silk without distracting from it.

“Oh my Yoba, you look incredible!” Abigail almost dropped her flute as you came closer and twirled to give your friends a 360 view of your costume. “I thought the work Emily did on mine was amazing, but you look AMAZING.”

“You’re one kickass elf!” Sam offered a fist bump before Sebastian pulled you to him.

“Good morning, fair wizard!” You beamed up at him.

“Good morning, brave warrior.” He smiled before bending down to kiss you as Abigail and Sam loaded into the truck, leaving the backseat for you two lovebirds.

\---

Abigail broke her promise not to speed and arrived at the North Zuzu Fairgrounds in just over an hour.

Smells of roasted meats, sweet mead, and freshly-baled hay drifted through the wind as you entered the front gates of the 22nd Annual Zuzu Renaissance Faire. Families streamed through the gates, with their young children looking at your group’s impressive costuming in awe.

The entrance courtyard was filled with towering stilt walkers, twirling dancers, a fire eater, and a band of pirates meandering through the crowds. In the distance, smoke rose above rows of vendors and food stalls. You took it all in, mentally noting all the acts to see, stalls to visit, and food you wanted to try.

Sebastian started to ask the group, “So what-“

“Turkey legs are this way!” Sam immediately started towards the row of food stalls, Abigail rolling her eyes as you trailed behind your healer.

Minutes later, Sam was the happiest you’d ever seen him.

“Oh, YOBA. I have been dreaming about this all year.” Sam groaned as he bit off pieces of turkey, quickly devouring the giant chunk of meat. Before you had finished your beer, he was considering purchasing a second.

“Remember when you threw up last time?” Sebastian questioned, eyebrows arched beneath his hood. “Maybe pace yourself?”

“Good point,” Sam replied, leaning back on the bench to stretch his stomach. “Spread the deliciousness throughout the day.”

Abigail pulled out an event schedule and map from one of the information booths, unfolding the crinkled paper on the table in between the mugs of beer. “So, here’s the schedule for the day. The big joust is as 2:00, and everything else has a few different times throughout the day. I definitely want to see one of the falconry demonstrations and a few of the music groups. What about you guys?”

You looked over the schedule and two events caught your eye: “Oh, an archery demonstration. And ax throwing! Those would be cool to do.”

“Agreed,” said Sebastian. “Everything you guys mentioned sounds good to me. I want to check out the shops. Abigail, wasn’t there a crystal vendor you wanted to visit?”

“Yes! Although it’s not important now that I have my own crystal vendor.” Abigail elbowed you and you chuckled. You certainly did keep Abigail in a healthy supply of some gems from the mines.

“You know me,” Sam chimed in. “I’m here for the food and the beer. The costumes and joust are just a bonus.”

You spent the next hour strolling through the marketplace, admiring the handiwork of the leatherworkers, seamstresses, and sculptors on display. After purchasing a new belt from one of the stalls, you joined Abigail at the falconry demonstration as Sam and Sebastian continued to stroll the aisles of wares.

\---

As Sam finished his second turkey leg of the day, the rest of your group sat at a picnic table, drinking cider and listening to Abigail play an upbeat melody on her flute. Across the alley of vendors, a group of troubadours entered the courtyard. Abigail quickly finished her song and put down her instrument, in anticipation that the musicians would strike up their own song.

Surprisingly, one of the men with the minstrel group crossed the small courtyard and bowed low in front of Abigail, his feathered cap brushing the dirt. “Fair bard! We have heard your beautiful melodies and come to ask a favor. Prithee, will you join us in our next song? Your talent is too lovely not to display.”

Abigail blushed, something you’d never seen before. “What? Oh, no, I’m sure I wouldn’t know any songs you guys play.”

Her protestation was met with a small chorus of “Do it!”, “Abigail you’re amazing!”, and “At least try it!” from your friend group.

“Pray, may we speak about this matter as a group?” The man interjected, gesturing to his musicians. “We are well-versed in many styles of music. I am certain we will find something in common to play.” He offered his arm to Abigail, who hesitated before slipping her arm through his and starting toward the courtyard. She turned back and you gave her a wide grin and two thumbs up, confident she would steal the show.

The other men in the troubadour group bowed as she joined their circle, and the conversation turned serious as they discussed various songs, Abigail occasionally playing a small snippet to demonstrate she knew a melody. Your group ordered another round of drinks as you waited for your friend to make her Renaissance Faire debut. Before long, the musicians took over a small platform in the courtyard, and the leader shouted to the crowd gathered for lunch.

“Lords and ladies! I hope you will enjoy this impromptu performance featuring our newest addition to our troupe: Abigail the Bard!”

Hearing the hoops and hollers from you and the boys, Abigail bowed dramatically before the group launched into a Celtic number, her flute hauntingly beautiful against the backdrop of strings and vocals.

You sat transfixed. You had only heard Abigail play her flute in private before today, and you were in awe of her bravery to stand up in front of this crowd and perform. The song soon ended, and your group immediately rose to applaud them, your enthusiastic cheers almost matched by applause from around the courtyard.

The singer in the group gestured for Abigail to take a bow, and you saw the hint of pride as she did. The performers stepped down from the platform and thanked Abigail for her part before the leader accompanied her back to your table. As they approached, you heard his parting words: “I hope to see you again, my lady. We thank you for your assistance on this day.” He bowed to kiss her hand and winked at Abigail before turning to rejoin his group. Abigail blushed for the second time that day and you broke out into a wide grin.

“You were incredible! But also, PLEASE tell me he gave you his number. Or at least his name?”

She grinned and pulled out a small slip of paper. “At the very least I’d want to learn more about their group and how I could join next year. It was a lot of fun!”

“And you were amazing! I’m really proud that you did that!”

Sam and Sebastian chimed in with their own praise and you handed her another drink, toasting to her success.

\---

At about 1:30, Abigail warned that you might not get seats if you didn’t head to the jousting arena _now_. Thankfully, she was right, and your group slipped into one of the last empty rows as entertainers worked the crowd.

After several talented acts of tricks, performers, and swordplay choreography, trumpets sounded from near the Queen’s box at the top of the stadium. A man dressed extravagantly but without helmet cantered towards the center of the corral and turned his horse to face the crowd in the stands, standing in front of the long barrier that separated the jousting arena.

“Good day to you all, fair lords and ladies!” His voice bellowed across the clearing. “This day, we welcome you to the Queen’s joust! Competing today for the Queen’s favor are two skilled knights.”

He gestured towards the right of the corral: “In the blue dress, Lord of Zusiala!”

The crowd clapped politely as the knight entered the arena. He trotted around the corral before stopping in front of the Queen’s box.

The announcer turned towards the left of the stadium: “And in the yellow dress, our reigning champion, Lord of Restufin!”

Even more cheers erupted from the crowd, and he seemed to be an actual crowd favorite and defending champion. He circled the corral several times to the tune of cheers before guiding his horse beside the knight in blue. The two men on horseback bowed to the Queen before trotting to opposite sides of the arena, where tall buckets of lances awaited them. Squires assisted their knights in selecting a wooden lance and ensuring the horse was ready for the tilt.

“Who are you rooting for?” You turned to Abigail, who had her eyes fixed on the knight dressed in blue. “Blue? Or Yellow?”

“I say blue. Always go with the underdog.”

The announcer on his horse pranced around the arena, exclaiming one last time: “Lords and ladies! Let us give our brave knights one last round of applause before they joust!”

You and Abigail joined in the chants for “Blue! Blue! Blue!” while Sam and Sebastian just shouted in support of the event. A hush came across the crowd as the knights prepared to charge. Suddenly, both knights spurred their horses and galloped across the field, lances aimed for the shields of the other man.

A dull thud echoed across the clearing as the yellow knight made contact with the blue knight’s shield, but both knights remained on their horses. The horses circled back, and the squires provided the knights with new lances to replace their splintered staffs.

Again, cheers preempted silence as the knights galloped towards one another. This time, the knight in blue was almost knocked from his steed but managed to hang on and pull himself back up to the saddle, much to the relief of Abigail and his other fans in the crowd. A mix of cheers and boos for the man sounded from the stands and the knights circled back to their positions once again.

A beat. Then the sound of hoofs pounding against the dirt under the jangling of metal armor.

“HUZZAH!” A cheer erupted from the stands as the blue knight knocked the Lord of Restufin off his horse, the yellow knight falling dramatically to the dirt below.

You and Abigail cheered as the knight circled the arena, victoriously holding his lance up to the sky. The announcer trotted back into the arena to declare him the winner, and the crowd began to disperse from the stadium.

After the joust, you meandered towards the archery range, just in time for the demonstration to begin. The accomplished archer showcased his ability to hit his target from any distance or angle, once hitting right next to the bullseye without even looking at the target at the end of the range. You were impressed, and a little intrigued by the idea of working with a bow and arrow. After the demonstration was complete, you and Abigail lined up to try your hand at the much closer targets. Setting down some cash for the pay-to-play event, you struck out at first, your arrow coming nowhere close to the haybale target sitting in front of you. On the second shot, it flew over the bale and landed in the grass field behind it. The third shot finally stuck on the outer ring, and the fourth was closer to the bullseye. On your fifth and final shot, you managed to land your arrow in the third ring from center. Glancing over at Abigail’s target, you were stunned to see that she landed four out of her five arrows on the target, with two just a hair’s width from the bullseye.

You stared at Abigail, and she simply shrugged in response. “I wanted to be like Robin Hood when I was little. Dad got me a beginner’s plastic bow one year. Then took it away like a week later.”

Abigail returned her bow to its resting place and you followed her away from the range. “What if I installed a mini archery range on the farm? Would you be interested in practicing with me? You clearly don’t need it, but I could use some coaching if you’re interested.”

“That would be so cool! This is my first time in years using a real bow. It would be great to get back into the swing of things.”

She waved down Sam and Sebastian from the crowd as you noticed the ax-throwing game across the courtyard. Abigail split off to watch another music group as the boys followed you to the booth. Only Sebastian made it that far; you assumed Sam had gone off in search of more roasted meat.

“So… ax throwing. Want to see who’s the best?” Sebastian nudged you as you entered the short queue.

“It’s five dollars for six throws… are you sure you want to pay to lose?” You teased Sebastian, egging him on as Sam reappeared in the background, making short work of his third turkey leg.

“Wow. It is SO on.”

Following the instructions of the game worker, Sebastian flung the first ax with all his might. It bounced from the target and fell to the ground. Unfortunately, you didn’t have room to laugh because yours did the same. So did your second. And his.

“Okay,” you murmured, “Definitely harder than we thought.”

A solid _thunk_ sounded from Sebastian’s target, and he threw his hands up in celebration. “I GOT ONE!”

Not to be outdone, you focused on the target in front of you and willed the blade in your hands to stick in the wood. _Thunk_. Not any closer than Sebastian’s but you both now had one point on the board.

Round fourth was another loss, with both axes falling to the ground. With your fifth ax, you managed to nestle it near the target as Sebastian’s penultimate ax fell to the dirt.

It all came down to the sixth and final ax. You could win if you scored one point and Sebastian missed. You regripped the handle before raising both hands over your head and sending the steel flying towards the target. No luck.

“Nooooooo.” You dramatically cried out as Sebastian flung his blade into the target. _Thunk_.

“Ah, a tie!” You playfully shook his hand as you stepped out of the game area. “Well done, fair wizard. I think we learned that’s a lot harder than it looks.”

“You’re telling me.” Sebastian rubbed his hands, examining his skin for blisters. “At least your hands are already used to farmwork. I wish I had gloves with my costume…”

You turned his hand over in yours, not seeing any evidence of abrasion. You gently closed his palm and kissed his knuckles. “I think you’ll survive. My wizard is quite strong.”

\---

The rest of the afternoon was filled with more turkey legs for Sam (who, thankfully, was still feeling fine), more beer for everyone except Abigail, and a rowdy musical performance featuring a band of female pirates. As the sun began to set in the distance, your group decided to call it quits after one last tour of the vendors’ market.

You and Sebastian walked hand-in-hand, wind blowing your cloaks as you strolled behind Abigail and Sam, heading towards the parking field.

“Hey,” Sebastian nudged you, “Remember the first time we played Solarion Chronicles?”

You smiled at the memory, “Of course! I was an awesome warrior and totally saved your asses from Dreadlord Xarth.”

“You know, that was when I really started to fall for you.” Sebastian blushed a bit under his hood as he recalled the day. “I thought I had liked you before but seeing how well you fit in with my friends, how strong and commanding you were in the game… definitely sealed my fate.”

You grinned wide as he brought your hand to his lips.

“Know when I really started to like you?”

Sebastian shook his head.

“It was about a week before the game night. I was coming back from the mines and passed you in the garage. There was a frog inside and you were trying to get it out.”

Sebastian groaned. “You heard that? Yoba, that’s embarrassing.”

“No! It was so sweet! The way you were talking to it and like, trying to coax it out into the rain. It was just a totally different side of the Sebastian I knew. And now you’re like that all the time!”

“What? No, I’m brooding and mysterious all the time. Only you and little frogs get to see me nice and fluffy.”

“Hey, guys?” You caught up with Sam and Abigail as they approached the truck. “Question. Would you describe Sebastian as brooding and mysterious or nice and fluffy?”

“Nice and fluffy, for sure.” Sam replied as Sebastian slapped his shoulder.

“Hm.” Abigail contemplated as she unlocked her truck. “Nice and fluffy with a hint of broody. Not as bad as you used to be but just a hint of emo.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes as you climbed into the backseat.

“See?” You teased him. “You can’t hide your sweetness.”

You rested your head on your wizard’s shoulder as Abigail pulled out of the parking lot and started towards home, the setting sun’s rays dancing through the windshield.

\---

30 minutes later, Sam spoke up. “Abigail, pull over. I’m gonna— puke—"

“SAM! NOT IN MY DAD’S CAR!”


	9. Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our warrior gives the wizard some defense points!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful and safe New Year's Eve.  
> Have you played the new 1.5 update yet? I just started a new Wilderness farm with the plan to marry Sebastian- gotta live this story in-game!  
> This chapter is brought to you by the guilt I feel when I have to kill the slimes in the hidden forest just to get the freaking hardwood.

“The slimes usually try to circle you for a bit, and then they lunge at you pretty quickly. I’ve found the best way to deal with them is to block their advances and use their backlash to strike. It’s harder if you just go on the offense constantly.”

You had Sebastian testing his defense abilities by the barn, teaching him the little tips and tricks you had learned from Marlon or just in your own fights against these creatures. After the scare the other night, you wanted to be sure Sebastian had some method of defense if you weren’t with him. He wielded the first sword that Marlon had given you long ago: the rusty blade held terrifying memories of discovering and defending yourself from the strange creatures that inhabited this land. You’d upgrade Sebastian to a sturdier weapon once he got the hang of it.

Since slimes were no more than a foot tall, Sebastian was practicing low sweeps with his sword as you described the best way to protect yourself. You kicked a gridball towards his feet from different angles and hoped that practice with this fake slime would be enough if he ever had to face the real thing. Next week, you’d tackle bats.

“So swipe, then take a step back. They recover quickly and having a little more space between you will give you more time to react. You don’t want to be right on top of them when they strike.”

You kicked, Sebastian reacted quickly, and the process repeated until he seemed prepared to take on the bulbous creatures should the need arise.

“I think we can call it a day!” You grabbed the gridball and walked over to Sebastian, pulling him in for a kiss. “With these moves you’d be able to handle your own against the golems on the farm, too. They move super slow, so just aim higher and that’ll take care of them.”

You picked up your own steel from the ground beside you as Sebastian demonstrated a few more sweeps with his blade.

“Oh! Rasmodius and I made this for you.” You reached into your pocket and pulled out a small green amulet. “He infused it with Oil of Garlic. Monsters HATE that stuff and the weaker ones should give you a wide berth. At the very least, it’ll keep them from swarming you until you get a little more proficient with a weapon. And thankfully, it doesn’t actually smell like garlic to the rest of us. He's crafting one for me too.”

“Sweet!” Sebastian accepted the pendant and placed it in his hoodie pocket. “So with this and the sword, do you think I’ll be safe?”

“I think we’re getting closer. I still don’t want you walking home at night by yourself, but in case of an emergency I think you could hold your own. It might be good to lace the pendant into your sneakers or something so you’ll always have it.”

“Will do!” Sebastian took a few practice swings with his blade, staying low to the ground and close to his invisible opponent. “I feel powerful. So when will we go and fight the real thing?”

“Well, I hope you won’t ever have to use a sword. This is a just-in-case scenario.”

“But don’t you kill these guys all the time? Shouldn’t I have a go at it?” He jabbed the air to emphasize his words.

You frowned. “I don’t go out of my way to kill these creatures, Sebastian. At every opportunity I do my best to avoid an interaction. But if it comes down to it, I'll protect myself. We’re not going to hunt slime just for fun. They’re living creatures too.”

Sebastian stopped his movements and stared at the blade in his hand. “You’re right... I guess without an actual danger right now it just feels like a game or something.”

“I understand that.” You crossed your arms as your frown began to lessen. “I felt that at the beginning too. But again, they’re wild animals same as squirrels or birds or _frogs_. Their defense mechanisms just happen to be scarier. Please promise me that you won’t go looking to fight anything just because. This is only for our protection, not amusement.”

He had the decency to look sheepish and he rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. That wouldn’t be right to kill them without cause.”

You offered a half-smile in return. “I’m glad you agree. Maybe Rasmodius could conjure up some visions of creatures or something if you’re that eager to play warrior.”

Sebastian scuffed the ground with his sneaker as you knelt down to rummage through the small pouch on your bag.

“I found an extra ring, too. It’ll help you see in the dark.” You tossed the faintly glowing ring to Sebastian, who twisted it onto his right ring finger.

You slipped your shimmering purple sword into a holster hanging from your backpack and tightened the straps on your shoulders. “I’m headed to the mines for the afternoon. Should be out no later than 8. What are you up to today? Any new projects?”

“No new projects, just the same one from last week.” Sebastian brushed your fingers with his hand as you walked to the entrance of your farm. “Their team keeps making changes and it’s driving me crazy.”

You continued the walk, your conversation slightly strained by the tension from earlier. Sebastian had actually shocked you with what he said about killing the creatures just because. Marlon may keep a tally of how many slimes and bats you’d dispatched, but you weren’t doing it for the glory or prizes. If the slimes didn’t come near you, you didn’t go near them. By now, you had learned their patterns and how to avoid many confrontations with various creatures. Most visits to the mines were uneventful nowadays, both for you and the monsters that lived inside.

Somewhere between the Community Center and his house, Sebastian stopped and grabbed your hand, running his thumb over your fingers. “Please don’t be mad at me. I really am sorry I suggested fighting the creatures just for fun. That wasn’t right.”

You covered his hand with yours and looked up at him. “I’m not mad, just a little… surprised. That the nice and fluffy guy who secretly rescues frogs would say that.”

“And I never will again. That’s not who I am.” He brought your hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to your skin.

You cupped his cheek with your free hand and he smiled into your palm. Walking to his door, he pulled you in for a hug before heading into his basement for a day of work. You promised to call once you were done in the caves.

* * *

With a hefty grunt, you swung your pickaxe in the center of the crack you had just formed. The vibrant crimson rock shattered in two to reveal the shimmery treasure you coveted. Breathless, you pried the piece of quartz from its jail. A tear, whether from happiness, exertion, or maybe it was just sweat, trailed a path down your dirt-covered face. You could finally finish what you started this time last year.

93 floors of bats, mutant bugs, unbreakable rocks, and hidden treasures. 93 floors of sweat and a good amount of blood. 93 floors and you finally had the last piece of the Junimo’s puzzle.

You took a moment to breath, turning the scarlet crystal in your hand as you smiled to yourself. Tomorrow, you’d take Sebastian to the Community Center and slip this final piece into its slot in the boiler room. The Junimo would work their magic, and the Center would be restored to its former glory.

You couldn’t wait.

The content silence surrounding you was shattered by an unholy shriek that echoed throughout the cavern. The sound of hundreds of wings fluttering became deafening. You picked up your blade and prepared to defend yourself as a swarm of ruby-hued bats consumed your only exit path.


	10. I Lava You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our warrior's run-in with the lava bats didn't go too well. 
> 
> TW: Blood (injury to her forearm), mention of needles for stitches and shots (but no description of either actually occurring). I’m a total wimp when it comes to blood and needles, but in my opinion this isn’t bad at all!

You slumped against the wall of the rapidly ascending elevator, weakly raising your poorly wrapped and bleeding arm above your head. With your free right hand, you pulled out your phone and dialed Sebastian as soon as service returned. Your backpack and bloodied sword lay on the ground by your feet.

“Hey, done in the mines?” He answered after just one ring.

“Yeah, do you have a first aid kit?”

“Somewhere here. What happened?” You heard Sebastian climb the stairs from his basement room, undoubtedly in search of a medical kit.

“Swarm of lava bats.” You exited the elevator and trudged towards the exit of the mine, dragging your steel and backpack behind you. “I unpacked my bag the other day and didn’t replace my kit. So I’m using an old rag as a bandage.”

“Do you need me to call Harvey?”

“It’s not that bad. I just need to get it sterilized and properly bandaged. But fuck, this burns.” As you exited the mine, you pulled back the rag and stared at the wound, which seemed deeper and longer than you first noticed and was losing blood at a rapid pace. Now a little light-headed, you tentatively took a step forward.

“I found the kit and I’m heading to meet you. I think we should still call Harvey.”

“Maybe… maybe that’s a good idea. I actually don’t know if I can walk much further.” In the distance, you saw Linus’ campfire burning brightly against the clear, dark sky of the valley. Through the speaker, you heard Sebastian call Harvey on their landline.

“Dr. Harvey? This is Sebastian. Alyse was injured in the mines, can you meet us by the mine entrance? I don’t know how far she was able to walk or how bad her injuries are.”

“It’s just my arm. I got bit or scratched… there’s a lot of blood… it’s deep… deeper than I thought” A rivet of dark liquid trailed down your arm, staining the t-shirt you had worn that day.

“She said something bit or scratched her arm and there’s a lot of blood.” He paused to listen to Harvey’s response. “Okay.”

“Alyse, Dr. Harvey says to sit down against something sturdy, like a rock or a tree, and keep your arm held above your head if you can. He’ll be there soon, and I’m walking out the door now. Stay on the phone with me. Keep talking.”

“Okay…” You slumped against a young pine tree just east of the small wooden bridge by the mine entrance. You didn’t dare try to cross that in your faint state. “Have you ever seen a red bat? I’ve never… seen one before I moved here… That’s what got me today. There was a swarm of like a hundred… just came outta nowhere…”

“That’s intense. How was the rest of your day?” Sebastian seemed out of breath, like he was running to save you.

“Before this… it was good…” You closed your eyes and remembered your morning before you started training Sebastian: a bountiful harvest of rhubarb and coffee beans, a delicious new batch of cranberry wine had finished fermenting, and you had enough in your wallet to expand your coop. Your backpack, abandoned near the mine entrance, contained several magma geodes and the special crystal you had been searching for.

“Alyse? You gotta keep talking to me.” His voice sounded not from your phone speaker but from across the small bridge. He ran across it and knelt beside you, gently raising your wounded arm above your head. You hadn’t noticed you let it fall back to your lap.

Sebastian dialed Harvey as he held your arm in place. “How close are you? We’re right in front of the mine entrance.”

You heard Harvey’s voice sounding from the tinny speaker, but you didn’t process what he was saying.

“Alyse, I’m going to move you, okay? Harvey says to have you lay down and put your legs up on the tree. Keep you from going into shock.”

Sebastian gently lowered you to the ground. “But you gotta keep talking, okay? Can you count to fifty for me?”

“Hah. What… who am I, Vincent?”

Sebastian let out a small chuckle as he maneuvered your legs to rest on the tree trunk, still holding your arm above your head. “Please just do it. When you’re not in danger of fainting I won’t treat you like a five-year-old.”

“One, two, three, four, five… six… seven, eight, nine… ten.”

You didn’t know how far you had counted when Harvey appeared in your limited field of vision, sweat dripping from his brow as he knelt above you.

“Hello, Alyse. I’m surprised I haven’t seen you like this before.” He offered a warm smile as he took your pulse and began to unwrap your improvised bandage. “I hear you’re quite the adventurer.”

“I can usually hold my own. But… it was a swarm of like a hundred lava bats that just… just came out of nowhere.”

“Can’t say that I’ve treated many lava bat bites. But this is a special town, isn’t it?” Harvey softly dabbed blood away from your wound with a clean rag, pausing to look at the depth of the gashes before reaching into his bag for a wrap. “You’ll need a rabies shot, antibiotics, and stitches when we get to the clinic.”

“Stitches? Aw, fuck…” You groaned as Harvey rustled through his bag.

Sebastian chuckled from where he was gently stroking your hair. “Don’t tell me my warrior is scared of needles.”

“Needles…? No. But like… a needle sewing... my skin? Yeah…”

Harvey finished tying a tourniquet around your upper arm to staunch the bleeding on your forearm. “We’ll need to get you to the clinic very soon. Sebastian, did you text your mom like I asked you to?”

“Yes, she’s on her way.”

“Wonderful. Alyse, Robin and Sebastian are going to help me carry you to the clinic. His mom put together a makeshift stretcher. I need to give you a proper examination when we arrive and don’t want to exacerbate any unseen injuries on the way.”

“Oh Yoba… I didn’t mean for this to turn into such… a big deal…”

“This is what I’m here for, Alyse. Medical attention at any hour.” Harvey smiled gently as he took your pulse again. “Then again, I’m sure you’ve noticed that Pelican Town is just like that. We’re always here for each other.”

“That’s why I love… it here. Nothing like Zuzu.” You returned his smile, somewhat feebly, as Sebastian placed a gentle kiss on your forehead.

Harvey and Sebastian kept you talking as Robin arrived with your stretcher, a long piece of plywood with strap handles quickly added upon Sebastian’s message. You didn’t remember much of the walk to Harvey’s clinic, except for Robin’s soothing voice that reminded you of your own mother, rubbing your back when you were sick as a child.

You remembered the bright lights of Harvey’s surgical room, Sebastian holding your hand and turning your face away from Harvey’s needlework on your arm, and a soft goodbye from Robin as she left the clinic late into the evening. Past that, your memory of the night was a dark and blurry mess.

Thankfully, you hadn’t felt the lines of stitches now trailing up and down your arm. The rivers of blood that flooded your skin were cleaned to reveal two deep gashes, inflicted by a bat’s sharp teeth. The tenacious creature must have dug into you and not let go. The other grazes on your body were minimal, no worse than accidental scratches from a playful kitten.

\---

You woke from a blissful sleep, helped by the pain medication and antibiotics dripping into your IV. Sebastian was curled into the seat beside your bed with his hoodie pulled up over his fluffy hair. The steady sound of your pulse monitor was soothing. You took a deep breath, thanking Yoba that as bad as your injury was, you didn’t have any broken bones.

Movement caught the corner of your eye and you turned your head to see Maru, dressed in her scrubs, enter the room.

“Good morning, Alyse!” She whispered, glancing at Sebastian in the chair before coming to your side and studying your monitor to fill in her chart. “I was really worried when my mom came home last night and told me what had happened. I’m so glad to see you’re okay.” She patted your unbattered hand and smiled before checking your IV drip. “Harvey will be in to check your bandages in a moment- he’s bringing breakfast too.”

Sebastian stirred in his seat and stretched as he rubbed his eyes. “Hey, Maru. How’s our patient?”

“Morning, Seb! Her vitals are all good; Harvey will check her wounds to see how those are coming along. Do either of you want coffee? I have a pot brewing at my desk.”

“That would be amazing, thank you.” Sebastian stood as you nodded in agreement.

As Maru left the room, he bent down to place a kiss on your forehead, his lips moving against your skin. “You really had me worried last night. I am so glad you’re okay.”

He pulled away as a tear ran down his cheek.

“Hey…” Your voice was croaky as you reached to brush away his tear. He held your hand to his cheek, pressing his lip into your palm. “I’m so sorry I scared you. But thank you. Thank you for being there and calling Harvey and taking care of me. I really didn’t think the wound was that bad at first. But you were so calm…”

He gazed at you and continued pressing kisses against your hand. “I’m just glad you called and I could get to you quickly.”

You paused. Now might not be the most romantic or perfect time, but you needed to say it now. “I love you, Sebastian.”

His kisses stopped and he gripped your hand tighter as his eyes remained steadily locked on yours, his voice dropped to a whisper. “I love you too.”

He leaned in to kiss you, only breaking apart at the sound of Harvey opening the door. Sebastian blushed as he pulled away and returned to his seat as Harvey approached the bed.

“Good morning! Alyse, I’m happy to report that you remained stable overnight.” Harvey began to unwrap the gauze around your arm. “If your wounds show no sign of infection, I can send you home today. I’ll need to see you every few days for the next two weeks for the follow up rabies shots, and I expect we can take your stitches out in about two weeks.”

You winced as Harvey removed the bandage from your forearm, skin still tender from the attack and the subsequent stitches. He examined his handiwork before wrapping your arm in fresh gauze. “This still looks good to me! If you see any pus or fluid, that could be a sign of infection, and I’ll need to see you right away. If it gets extremely red and puffy, or becomes even more painful to the touch, same thing. Call me anytime. Best thing we can do for an infection is get in front of it before it gets too bad.”

You took in all of Harvey’s instructions, scheduled your follow-up rabies shots, and collected coffee and the information sheets about wound care from Maru. You weren’t allowed to use your left arm for anything until the stitches came out, which would make watering and planting crops extremely difficult.

The walk back to your farm after you were discharged seemed like a funeral procession. In your mind, the farm was falling to ruins, your animals were going hungry, and weeds were overtaking your newly planted crops. Instead of going inside to rest, you slowly sank down onto the porch steps, overlooking the acres you inherited. Sebastian settled onto the wood plank beside you and offered comfort by lightly scratching your back.

Sam, at the texted request of Sebastian, had taken over your morning feeding duties while you were being discharged, and the animals chewed happily in the background. Wind blew in from the south, bringing the faint smell of saltwater and mixing with the scent of freshly cut hay. If it was any other morning, this would be a beautiful sight. But today… Today was the worst you had ever felt.

After several minutes of silence, Sebastian wrapped his arm around you. “I know you’re worried about the farm. I’m here to help you. I don’t think I can get stuff done as quickly as you can, but we’ll manage. The animals will stay fed and happy, and the crops will keep growing. I mean, Sam got out of bed before 11am to come feed the animals today. If he can do that, we can do anything. We got this.”

“But you already have a full-time job. I can’t ask you to take on farm work on top of that. I’m very grateful for Sam this morning, but can I get his or Abigail’s help each day? I can pay. Not a lot, but I can pay. If they divide up some labor this may work for a few weeks.”

Calculating your normal profits in your head, you figured you could pay Sam and Abigail above the pitiful sums Joja offered, but you’d need to make sure profits could sustain while you weren’t operating at normal capacity.

“I wouldn’t need to plant anything major for….” You gazed at your crops, taking inventory of the young plants bursting through the soil, “About a week. I just planted the cauliflower two days ago and that takes some time to grow. Maybe planting a few parsnips, but those are easy to harvest too. I planned to install a sprinkler system next week but obviously that will have to wait. But it’s not just watering the crops. I have the cheese presses and mayo machines and kegs and preserve jars and the tappers on all the trees… There’s so much to ask of them to keep this place running.”

You dropped your head into your uninjured hand, tears finally beginning to fall after the long night. All your progress over the last year was being derailed by a fucking flock of lava bats. Your whole system that kept the money coming in could fall to ruin after one night. “I have worked so hard. And I am so afraid that it’s all going to fall apart.”

Sebastian pulled you to him. “Hey, hey. I promise. We will get through this. I know Sam and Abby would be happy to take on some work. With the three of us, we can do the job of one awesome farmer and keep your place running. We’ll need your instructions, obviously, but we can do this.”

He pressed kisses to your forehead and simply held you as you continued to sob. The tears, filled with every uncertainty and anxiety you’d felt over the last year, trailed down your cheeks and soaked the front of Sebastian’s sweatshirt where you pressed your face into him.

“I’m sorry. This is just so much for any relationship, not to mention one that’s just a few weeks old.” You offered a weak chuckle as you wiped salty tears from your cheeks.

“Hey. I love you.” He stared into your red, puffy eyes. “I love you with your lava bat scars, fears, doubts, and everything else within you.”

The tears started flowing again as you whispered, “I love you too.”

The afternoon sun eventually dried your tears as Sebastian lightly rubbed your back and held you close. Before long, you started to nod off, and Sebastian pulled you inside. He helped you change into soft pajamas and curled beside you in bed. As you drifted into the darkness of sleep, you heard him whisper one more time.

“I love you, Alyse. We’ll get through this.”

\---

Instead of the warm boyfriend you fell asleep on, you woke up to a cold expanse of sheets and an empty bed. You checked your phone and saw a message from Sebastian:

Sebastian: < I headed home to pick up some clothes and stuff so I can stay with you for a few days. I should be back before you wake up. Abigail came over and she should have some lunch ready for you if I’m not back yet. I love you. >

You stood from bed and stretched before padding into your living room. Abigail sat flipping through a magazine at the kitchen table. As soon as the bedroom door creaked open, she was on her feet and striding towards you.

“Oh my Yoba, I am so glad you’re okay!” She started to hug you before pausing. “Sorry, don’t want to hug you if you’re hurting. But I am SO happy the injury wasn’t worse.”

You smiled and pulled her in for a one-armed hug. “I’m happy to see you. Thank you for being here.”

“Of course!” Abigail gently squeezed you before backing away. “Are you hungry? Sebastian threw together some soup before he left and I can make you a grilled cheese or something.”

“That would be amazing.” You sat at your table as she puttered around the kitchen. After just a few minutes, she ladled soup into a bowl and placed a gooey grilled cheese before you.

You thanked her before digging in. You hadn’t been in the mood to eat this morning, and the sandwich was gone in a matter of moments. Abigail sat beside you with her own bowl of soup. Finally, she broached the subject of your injury:

“So, Sebastian didn’t really give too many details other than it was a bat. What happened?”

“It was a swarm of lava bats. It’s a special breed that only lives in the lower levels of the mines.” You stared at the bowl of soup in front of you, absently swirling the liquid with your spoon. “I… got distracted and took too long. If I hadn’t waited, I could have made it to the exit before the swarm attacked. I had my sword and managed to get to the ladder without too many scratches. And then this one bat just… got a hold of my arm and didn’t let go. His teeth tore through my skin so easily. I didn’t think it was too bad at first, but that may have just been the adrenaline. But now I’ve gotta get rabies shots and the stitches should come out in two weeks.”

“What distracted you? I mean, I would probably get distracted by all the gems and stuff.”

“Actually,” you chuckled, “I found a crystal I’ve been looking for. I needed it to finish a project I’ve been working on for the last year. I finally had it. And I just spent too long admiring it. Shit… it was in my backpack. Wait, where’s my sword?? That’s basically irreplaceable! And my bag?”

You stood from the table and began frantically searching the room. Panic settled back into your heart just as it had as you sat on the porch steps that morning.

“Hold on!” Abigail interrupted your search and scrambled for the piece of parchment sitting on the kitchen counter. “Sebastian said that Marlon left a letter for you this morning. He’s holding your sword and bag at his cabin.”

“Oh, thank Yoba. That sword is probably the most precious thing I own.” You sank back down into your chair and took a moment to breathe and read Marlon’s note before you started on your bowl of soup.

Abigail returned to her chair as well. “I’m really glad you’re okay. I know the mines are filled with nasty creatures. I can’t imagine all the other shit you’ve dealt with down there.”

“I think I’ll take a little break even after my arm heals… I don’t know how well I would do down there right now.”

“You do whatever you need to do. And we'll be here for you. Sebastian mentioned you'll need help on the farm?"

“Sadly, yes.” Once again, you felt tears coming on at the mention of the farm. “I don’t know how many hours of help I’ll need each day. But if you’re interested in making some extra cash I can definitely use your help.”

Of course, Abigail agreed to part-time work. You sat on the porch with her after lunch, explaining your vision for the future and pointing out where additional buildings and orchards would go. Sebastian and Sam arrived, the blonde bringing a still-warm casserole from Jodi and an adorable “Get Well Soon” card from Vincent. Apparently, news of your hospital stay spread fast, but that didn’t surprise you. Pelican Town was small. And just as Harvey said, you all looked after each other.

Sam agreed to a few hours of work with no hesitation, and your trio of friends would be on your doorstep tomorrow morning to await instructions. Their eagerness to help you turned on the waterworks again. This time not from pain or fear, but from appreciating how much this little town had given you. 


	11. We're a Mess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The farm keeps running with the help of the Golden Trio, Sebastian and the farmer have a nice cry on the beach, and the farmer gets her sword back!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm always so happy when something that I wrote forever ago can still work as the story progresses. I wrote the last paragraph months ago, back when I was working on Chapter 2 or 3. Even then, I knew I wanted our farmer to complete the Community Center with Sebastian by her side!

It reminded you of your first week on the farm. Your friends were working like newly-born giraffes: desperate to stand and run but not coordinated enough to stay upright for long. The first few days were full of gentle reminders, guiding with your uninjured arm, and lots of check-ins as Sam and Abigail planted, watered, and did everything else to keep your farm running. Sam lost a few bottles worth of syrup trying to work the tappers, Abigail accidentally left the lids off the cheese presses one morning, and Sebastian tripped into and uprooted a set of trellises, destroying the small green vines slowly creeping upward. But all in all, it was good. You had produce to preserve, mayo to sell, and milk to keep Pierre’s dairy fridge nicely stocked.

Some jobs were easy for you to do with one arm, and you followed behind Sam as he plowed, squatting to bury seeds in the tilled earth with your good arm. You performed quality checks on the preserves and pickles, and still greeted the animals each morning.

Abigail and Sam arrived early in the morning, and you were careful to escort them off your property before sundown. With your injury, you were taking no chances with anyone else being attacked. The animals weren’t thrilled to be rounded up so early in the evening, but needs must. Sebastian spent almost every night with you at the farm and had moved his work setup to the corner of your living room. After he helped with a few chores that required extra hands, he returned to the computer to keep his own income flowing in.

After a few days, you returned to Harvey’s, fighting the rain and wind to receive your second rabies shot. Harvey proclaimed your stitches were healing nicely and that in another week you should be all set to continue with your normal life.

Happy with your progress, you almost skipped home to tell Sebastian the news. Sam and Abigail had finished all the indoor tasks that morning and gone home, but you counted on Sebastian sitting in his usual spot in front of the computer.

“Good news!” you called as you opened the front door. No response from the corner, nor the bedroom. Sebastian’s monitor was turned off, and there was no note. Puzzled at his break from routine, you called him.

Sebastian wasn’t answering his phone. Normally this wouldn’t worry you, but your own injury had you on edge. After calls to Sam, Robin, and Gus, you confirmed he wasn’t at any of his usual spots. On a whim, you decided to brave the weather once again and check the beach.

The wind calmed as you stepped onto the sand, now a light breeze blowing the droplets of rain in from the sea. Through the fog, you saw a rounded figure on the pier. As you got closer, you realized it was Sebastian huddled underneath an umbrella. Smoke drifted from a cigarette in between his fingers and he stared intensely at the ocean.

He straightened at the sound of your footsteps on the pier but relaxed again once you sat beside him. Your feet dangled off the wooden dock, soles dangerously close to the white-capped surf below. Wind battered Sebastian’s face with harsh droplets and blew the dark locks from his forehead. Above you, grey clouds blanketed the horizon and thunder rumbled in the distance.

“When did you start smoking again?”

Sebastian didn’t return your gaze as he took another drag of the cigarette. “Just a few days ago. It calms me down.”

You stared down at the briny waves below your feet. “But you were doing so well. You’d been off them for almost a whole season.”

“I know.”

You contemplated this for a time. It was obviously your injury that caused his relapse. Either the injury itself or the help you needed in addition to his full-time job. But before you could probe further, Sebastian interrupted your thoughts.

“Alyse.” Your name sounded pained and desperate as he exhaled. “You are one of the first people who I can truly be myself around. When I’m with you… it’s-it’s like my anxiety doesn’t exist. I stopped smoking because I didn’t need it to calm me down or make me feel better. You did that every time we were in the same room.”

But that night scared the shit out of me, Alyse. You had me so worried.” You finally looked at Sebastian and noticed that tears were forming in the corner of his eye. “Until Harvey got there, you were losing so much blood and you were talking so slowly and I was terrified. What if you hadn’t made it out of the mine to call me? What if Harvey hadn’t made it there in time to help? What if it had been something bigger than a bat that attacked you?”

Tears were streaming down Sebastian’s face now, mixing with the salty droplets blown from the waves.

“I love you, Alyse, and I do not want to lose you. And those thoughts of losing you have gotten worse and I just needed something to help me through so I’m back on _these_ fucking things.” He gestured with the cigarette before putting it out in the small bowl sitting by his knee.

“Hey, hey, hey,” you turned your body to sit cross-legged on the pier, facing Sebastian and turning his head towards you. “You’re not going to lose me. I love you… Will it make you feel better that I don’t want to go into the mines anytime soon either? It really shook me up too.”

Sebastian breathed deeply as you confessed your own fears.

“I don’t know when I’ll be able to go back. Every injury I’ve gotten before then was minor in comparison. Nothing to this level and that scares me too. When I’m ready, I’ll ask Marlon for more training, and I’ll start off again at the higher levels where there are just the tiny slimes. But I don’t know when that will be. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. But I’m here now. I’m safe, thanks to you.”

You pulled Sebastian to you, plucking the umbrella from his hand and holding it up as he wrapped his arms around your torso, fulling sobbing into your neck. You stroked his back as he released all of his fears and worries into the tears now running down your jacket. Minutes passed as you let him cry in peace. Across the short inlet between the piers, Willy emerged from his cabin and headed towards town, offering you a friendly nod when he saw you sitting with Sebastian, whose sobs had tapered off. Seagulls cawed behind you, no doubt scrambling for tiny crabs popping up from the wet sand. The drizzle had stopped completely, and the rays of sunset promised to peek out from the mist.

“So we’re up to one life-threatening injury, one creature-infested farm, one asshole stepdad, and two full-on crying sessions.” You rested your chin on the top of his head. “All within a few weeks of dating… That may be a relationship record.”

Sebastian laughed from his place on your chest, the tears no longer falling. “Yoba, we’re a mess.”

You chuckled in agreement and smoothed his hair. “Yep. But you’re my mess and I’m your mess. And out of the two I think I’m the bigger mess.”

Sebastian straightened up and took the umbrella from you to collapse it closed. He fully turned his body towards you, drawing his knees close to his chest.

“We may be a mess right now, but these last few weeks have also been full of amazing things,” you continued. “We went to our first Renaissance fair together, you met the Junimo, we’ve had some great nights. And mornings.” You grinned at him and nudged his foot with yours.

He returned your smile. “As long as we can be a mess together, I’m okay with that. I love you.”

“I love you too,” You knelt to kiss him before standing and gesturing at him to follow you. “Let’s head back home before it gets dark.”

Sebastian picked up his ashtray and followed you up the pier, sliding his hand around your waist as you crossed the sand. The sunset cast a dazzling dance of oranges and pinks over the towering oak and mahogany trees separating beach and town.

That evening, you fell asleep curled into Sebastian’s chest, cares forgotten, if just for the night. 

\----

During the surprisingly warm morning on the farm, you headed inside to grab water for you and your friends. Sebastian had been at his computer all morning, finishing up a project for a repeat client. His eyes remained on the code-filled screen as you refilled his coffee cup from the pot kept warm in the kitchen. You placed as kiss on the top of his head and he tore his gaze from work.

“Can you go with me later to pick up my stuff from Marlon?”

“Sure. I have a deadline at 3 but I can go after that. And thank you for the coffee.”

“That’s perfect. The Guild doesn’t open until later in the afternoon anyway.”

You offered Sebastian one final peck on the cheek before returning to the sun. Abigail was in the coop, collecting eggs and ensuring the incubator was at the perfect temperature to hatch one last duckling before the coop was filled. Sam repaired fence posts to the south of the barn. Earlier that morning, your team unearthed a huge amount of parsnips and garlic. In another day or so, the cauliflower peeking through the dirt would be ready for harvest. That profit alone would be cause for celebration with a round of pizza and beer at the Saloon.

With the rest of the afternoon, you and Sam planted and watered rows of kale. It was a lot of fun to work with Sam: he loved to sing and work out new songs in real time, and you’d duet old favorites as the sun beat down on you. It was a welcome distraction from the exhausting work at your feet.

At 2:30, the sun continued to beat down on your reddened skin. You let your friends go for the day before grabbing a quick shower as Sebastian submitted the final piece of his project just in time.

Emerging from the bedroom with a towel wrapped around your freshly-washed hair, you caught Sebastian sneaking his fifth cup of coffee for the day, despite earlier promises that he would cut back.

“Didn’t you want to cut down to only four cups each day?”

Sebastian snorted into his “Geology Rocks” mug, “You can’t hold me to anything I say when a client is making me want to rip my hair out. I’ve lost more sleep on this project than any other. But hey, they pay me by the hour so I’ll take it. Keep making all the miniscule changes you want.”

“Ooh, if they keep making changes and I keep selling mayo, we may be able to get away for a nice weekend,” You wrung your hair with the towel and sighed. “Yoba knows we both need it.”

“That we do. But today we’re getting your sword, right?”

You confirmed this as you tossed your towel in the hamper. “That and my backpack. I haven’t felt truly safe without my sword, though. I mean, I have other weapons,” you gestured to the Obsidian cutlass and crystal dagger standing guard near the door, “but there’s just something special about the purple one. I swear, if you stare at it long enough, it looks like a whole galaxy is swirling around inside the blade. And it’s just faster and easier to wield.”

“Well,” Sebastian replied, placing his mug in the sink, “Let’s go get this blade!”

\---

Marlon offered a gruff smile as you entered his Guild. “How are you feeling, Alyse? Linus told us what happened.”

“I’m feeling much better,” you replied as you dragged Sebastian across the threshold. He had never been in the building before and stood gazing at the wall-mounted trophies of creatures not even you had encountered. Gil looked up from his corner rocking chair but declined to acknowledge the new presence in the room.

“It was a single lava bat that just opened my arm up,” You gestured with your gauze-wrapped arm. “I know you guys have gotten so much worse. I hope there’s not an injury tally you want me to break!”

Marlon actually chuckled at your joke. “No, we wouldn’t wish that on anyone. But when you’re ready to head back down, just let me know. We can do some more training. Or I can go down with you a few times until you get your confidence back.”

“That would be fantastic, thank you.” His demeanor, usually silent and slightly cranky faded away every so often to display his more tender side, and you appreciated those moments more than you could tell him. Marlon pulled your sword and backpack from underneath the counter. You immediately unzipped the bag and thrust your hand into the pouch of rocks and geodes to find the one crystal that would have made all of this worth it.

There it was. A sob of relief wracked your body and you sighed deeply as you pulled the vibrant blood-red crystal from the backpack. Marlon raised a questioning eyebrow, but said nothing as he busied himself with the log book.

Sebastian joined you at the counter. “Is that the last thing you needed for the Community Center?”

“Yeah. I was terrified it had fallen out and I’d have to go and get another one.” You didn’t take your eyes off the gem as you reached into your pocket and threw an amount onto the counter, not caring how much extra you paid to have your sword and this priceless piece of the puzzle back in your hands. Finally, you looked to Marlon.

“Thank you. _So much_. For keeping this safe.”

“Not a problem, Alyse. I can see this means a lot to you. We’re happy to provide this service.”

You thanked Marlon again and nodded to Gil as you plucked your sword from the counter and Sebastian hoisted the bag onto his shoulders. Outside, the afternoon sun danced on the mountain lake, reflecting bright rays across the bubbling surface interrupted by breaching fish. Something delicious roasted on Linus’ campfire, and the sweet smell of freshly blossomed daffodils wafted through the air. For the first time since you first held the crystal in your hands, you felt fully at peace.

The walk back to your farm was slow. But in the best possible way. The town seemed to sing around you: trees whistled their thanks as wind blew through their branches, the river babbled in approval, and the air was crisp with promise. The Community Center came into view as you rounded the corner. Inside one of the darkened windows, you saw the Junimo dancing around their hut.

You stopped in front of the Center for a moment and examined the Fire Quartz in your hand.

“Do you want to do it tonight?” Sebastian questioned.

“No…” You rethought. “We can come back tomorrow.”

Sebastian nodded and pulled your hand to his as you rejoined the beaten path down to the town square.

“I think you should go alone tomorrow,” Sebastian interrupted the silence and you turned to him in curiosity before he quickly added, “You’ve worked so hard and for so long on this. I’ll walk with you and go inside if you really want me to, but this is your journey. I think you should finish it yourself.”

“Hm.” You contemplated this as you crossed the square in front of Pierre’s and Harvey’s shops. “I understand what you mean… But I came to this town alone. And now I have you, and Sam, and Abby, and all the people in town who have helped me. I want you there when I finish this project. _Plus_ , the Junimo are so cute! You need one last chance to see them before… I don’t even know what will happen to them when we finish. I hope they don’t just totally disappear.”

“I’ll be there if you want me to.” Sebastian pressed his lips to the side of your head. The rest of the walk to your farm, you and he speculated what would become of the Junimo. Sebastian suggested they would migrate to help other small towns in the Valley, but you hoped some would stick around, maybe in the hidden forest or on the farm. You seemed to have a special connection with them and didn’t want to lose it.

Though the sun was beginning to dive behind the trees when you returned to your farm, the impending darkness wasn’t as overwhelming with your sword back in your hands. On the farm, bats only appeared as individuals, and you were more likely to have a swarm of little slimes at your feet. Suddenly, pieces of your life were starting to fall back into place. You slowly climbed the porch stairs behind Sebastian and turned to face the acreage, placing the beloved sword at your feet.

From the doorway, Sebastian called, “Coming in?”

“Yeah, just give me a minute.”

Sebastian nodded and closed the door behind him to leave you with your thoughts.

You sat on your porch in relieved contentment, fresh spring air blowing across the farm as crickets chirped in the trees. It had been a little over a year since you moved here, met the wonderful people you now considered family, and began to restore the previous heart of the town. Finishing the Community Center would be your love letter to the people who had helped you overcome every struggle you faced over the last year. From animal advice from Marnie to a few free parsnip seeds from Pierre, everyone had contributed to the success of your farm, and you couldn’t wait to repay their kindness.


	12. Desperate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Farmer is desperate, Sebastian is cautious, smut happens.

That night was an ideal spring night. The open windows wafted in a gentle breeze and the smell of blossoming tulips. Your boyfriend sat beside you on the couch, eyes on the TV and thumb absently rubbing your hand that he held.

You realized something as you gazed at him. It had been a week and a half since you and Sebastian had done anything more than kiss. It had been a week since your injury, but even a few days before that, your schedules hadn’t lined up for a night spent at the farmhouse. You remembered your last night together: the intense heat, light scratches of nails on your skin, lips dancing over your breasts, teeth tugging at your lip, and the feeling of fullness as he slowly pushed into you. Fuck. You needed him _now_. 

You shifted on the couch to straddle his lap. Sebastian idly placed his hands on your hips and hesitantly ran his thumb over the fabric of your jeans. He gazed up at you but made no motion to bring you closer.

“I know your stitches are almost healed, but I don’t want to do anything until they’re out. You know we can get a bit… passionate.” He chuckled lowly and rested his head on your shoulder.

“It’s been so long though.” You ran your nails up and down his neck and relished the shiver it caused before a delicious yet impractical idea came to you.

“What if my arm was kept out of the way? What if,” you lifted his chin and ran your thumb across his bottom lip as you gazed into his eyes, “you tie me up?”

Sebastian’s eyes widened and you saw his pupils darken. “Yoba. Fuck yes. But still not until your stitches come out.”

You pleaded with him as you sank further into his lap, trying to show him how much you needed him. “Sebastian, please.”

“Alyse, I’m not going to tie up your arm while you’re still healing. That’s just plain stupid.” He ran his hands around the curve of your ass and pulled you closer to him. “But I agree it’s been too long since I made you cum. Maybe there’s something else I could do for you.”

Sebastian finally placed kisses along your jawline and gently slid the jacket from your shoulders, being extra careful to assist you in pulling the sleeve over your injured arm.

“I know how much you like to pull my hair,” Sebastian mumbled as he lightly tugged on your own tresses, “But seriously. Don’t use your bad arm. Just keep it relaxed.”

You nodded in agreement and let your recovering arm sit loosely on your lap, just inches from his hardening cock. The things you would do to this man right now if he would let you. Sebastian was using both of his own hands now: one sweeping the hair from your neck so he could place open-mouthed kisses on the bare expanse of skin, and the other sliding up your back to unhook your bra. You sensed his confusion when he didn’t find a clasp.

“It’s a front closure. Easier to put on without twisting my arm.” You explained as you pulled your blouse over your head and exposed the pretty black bra that latched between your breasts.

“Ah, that does make this easier too.” Sebastian grinned and pressed his face into your chest, laying kisses and dragging his tongue across your skin as he unhooked the clasp and slid the straps from your shoulders. He cupped your breast in his hand and ran his thumb across your nipple as his other hand twisted into the hair at the nape of your neck. He gently tugged your hair and continued his exploration of your neck.

You wanted his skin on yours. You slid your hand underneath his hoodie and caressed the skin above his waistband. He shuddered and complied with your silent request, abandoning your breast to remove his hoodie and shirt. After he did so, you rose from his lap and leaned down to kiss him. With one steady arm wrapped around his neck, you pulled him to stand up. Sebastian followed you to the bedroom, keeping his hands on your waist as you turned to sit on the bed and pulled him down on top of you.

Without thinking, both of your hands wrapped through Sebastian’s thick hair, fingers intertwining with the dark locks. Almost immediately, Sebastian gently took your stitched-up arm from around his neck and placed it to the side of your body. He held your hand there as he spoke, almost a growl in your ear. “This arm is going to stay here. You will not move it to touch yourself or to touch me. If you move, you’ll regret it when I can tie you up for real.”

He ground his hips in between your legs and you moaned at his words and the pressure between your thighs. Suddenly he paused and whispered in your ear. “Is that okay?”

“Yoba, yes.” You exhaled in confirmation and he nipped your jaw before dragging his lips down your exposed chest. He stopped to give attention to your nipple, and it took all your strength not to twine your fingers into his hair again. Your good hand remained steadily at the base of his neck as he continued his path downward and began to unbutton your shorts. He slowly slid the denim from your hips and gazed almost reverently at the teal lace panties you wore underneath.

“Were you expecting something tonight?” He smirked before he tossed your shorts over his shoulder and gently tugged the lace of your panties down with his teeth.

“Just hoping you’d finally fuck me like I want- OH!” You didn’t complete your sentence as Sebastian pulled your panties aside and slid two fingers across your clit, too impatient to properly rid you of your final garment. He leaned against your thigh and gazed up at you as he gently rubbed your clit up and down. Every few strokes, he deftly slid a single finger inside you. Each time you begged for more, and each time he denied your pleas. After several slow minutes of this delightful torture, Sebastian withdrew his fingers and slid them into his mouth to savor the taste of you. At that sinful sight, you threw your head back into the pillow and Sebastian slipped your panties off your body.

Finally, _finally_ , Sebastian licked a stripe over your clit and you bucked into his mouth. Your hand at his neck reflexively tightened into his hair and he moaned at the sensation, his own jeans already extremely tight from the evening’s activities.

“Yoba, Alyse. You taste so good.” Sebastian’s tongue slid inside you before he swirled the tip of it over your most sensitive part. He alternated gentle licks and long, hard swipes with his tongue, opting to slide his fingers inside you once again as you writhed under his touch. He established a steady rhythm of finger-fucking you as he sucked and licked your clit, each new sensation drawing a different moan from your lips.

You were getting close, and you needed him to just keep going. “Fuck, Sebastian. Right there. Please! Yoba yes, please, right there!”

Words turned into breathless moans as Sebastian crooked his fingers inside you and your body shook. He wrapped one arm around your thigh to anchor you and he continued to gently lick your clit as your body relaxed into the soft, downy comforter beneath you. You lay there like a ragdoll, your energy completely depleted by the orgasm.

You vaguely processed the quick shower than Sebastian pulled you into, him crawling into bed beside you, and falling asleep to the gentle sound of crickets from the open windows. Sebastian snored softly in your ear as the evening faded into comfortable nothingness.


	13. Community

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyse and Sebastian finish the Community Center, and the town celebrates!

The next morning, you woke to find Sebastian already up and moving about the kitchen. Sam would be by soon to feed the animals, but your team had the rest of the day off. You shuffled into the kitchen and greeted your boyfriend with a peck on the cheek as he placed a warm cup of coffee in your hands.

“Morning.” His voice was gruff with sleep and eyes were droopy, still not fully acclimated to the early hours that farm life required.

“Good morning, love.” You own voice didn’t sound familiar either, but you suspected that was more because of the noises Sebastian had you making last night. 

Mornings had fallen into an easy routine with Sebastian staying on the farm. He would make breakfast most mornings, presenting you and sometimes Sam and Abby with pancakes, waffles, or French toast accompanied by fresh fruit and eggs from the farm. Neither of you were true morning people, and aside from a loving greeting, breakfasts were typically comfortable, silent meals.

That’s why it was especially shocking when Sebastian reached across the table stacked with pancakes to grasp your hand.

“Hey,” He held your gaze for a moment. “I’m really proud of you. You’ve worked hard since the day you got here. Finishing the Community Center can’t have been easy, even before this last week. And I know this will mean a lot to everyone in town. That used to be where we held all the birthday parties, festivals, everything… People are going to be really excited to have it back.”

Your cheeks flushed at his praise as you stroked your thumb along his hand. “I’m just happy I can give back in this way. I couldn’t have survived my first year here without everyone’s help. I was basically useless without them.”

Sebastian stood and crossed the small space to press his lips against your forehead, speaking into your skin, “I think you severely underestimate yourself. You’re amazing, and you already give so much to everyone in town. Don’t sell yourself short.” With one final kiss into your hair, he began clearing finished dishes from the table.

A few minutes later, both of you were changed and ready to head out. The Fire Quartz sat on your nightstand, sunlight slipping through the windows and winking at you as it bounced off the gem’s facets. You slipped the vibrant red crystal into your jacket pocket and followed Sebastian out the door.

Pam passed you on the walk to town and grunted a greeting as she continued to the bus stop. That was one relationship you had yet to crack. Lush trees hung overhead, rays of sun filtering through the leaves. The gravel path underneath Sebastian’s Converse crunched as you turned left at the town square and the dilapidated community building came into view.

You entered the incomplete Community Center for the last time and waved at the Junimo who bounded towards you from their hut in the corner of the room. Several of the small creatures followed you to the boiler room but only one turquoise sprite entered the room behind you, uttering small yips of excitement as you and Sebastian knelt beside the last open spot in the box near the furnace.

You pulled the crystal from your pocket and gazed at it, barely registering Sebastian’s “Are you ready?”

Smiling, you looked up at him. “Yes. Yes I am.”

This was it. It had taken a full year of patience, sweat, tears, and no small amount of blood to be here today holding this. The final piece of the Junimo’s special puzzle. The final piece before your task was over. Nodding to Sebastian, you slid the crystal into the box.

The air hummed as a brilliant white light blinded you and Sebastian. You shielded your eyes from the rays and finally reopened them at the sound of the enthusiastic Junimo surrounding you. There were dozens of the tiny creatures cramped into the small room, jumping and crawling over each other to celebrate your final achievement. They slowly began to funnel out the door as the one bright teal Junimo produced the last of the coveted golden stars. You grasped Sebastian’s hand and followed them to the mantle, where the sprite placed the star in the last empty spot above the fireplace.

Gentle music began to fill the room, and a calming voice echoed seemingly from the Junimo dancing at your feet. “The last bundle… Farewell, Alyse…”

You sat cross-legged on the floor to wish your small companions goodbye and willed the tears to stay in your eyes. Sebastian knelt behind you, offering a hand on your shoulder in condolence. One by one, the Junimo approached you to offer a small pat or embrace of your hand before joining a circle forming around their hut in the corner of the room. The final Junimo approached you slowly and gently placed is small limbs into your hands. A wave of peace rushed over your heart as you received its message: _You would see them again_.

With one final glance back at you, the last Junimo joined the circle. The creatures turned and began to walk in a clockwise loop. The music filling the room was met with soft, otherworldly chants and a breeze that swept across the hut, dislodging leaves from its roof. Soon, the Junimo began to jump in coordination as they continued their path around the hut. The chanting, still soft enough to almost be lost in the music, doubled in time and the Junimo picked up their pace. They were running now, in perfect synchronization. Tiny footfalls marked drumbeats in this unique ceremony that you suspected no one else would ever see.

The Junimos leapt into the air one final time, and an extraordinary light shot across the room as their miniscule feet landed on the wooden planks. As the music faded, you heard one final _gud-bai_ before silence returned to the Community Center. You and Sebastian blinked as your vision returned to normal. Before you sat a sectional couch where the Junimo hut had been just moments before. You stared at the spot, still in awe of what happened.

Several moments passed before Sebastian spoke. “Wow.”

“Yeah. Wow.”

“I still can’t… wrap my head around this. Like I just saw it happen with my own two eyes. But believing in magical creatures that can teleport or whatever… I just can’t.” Sebastian’s eyes were glazed over at the magic that just disappeared before you.

“I’ve learned to just roll with it and appreciate it. At this point, not even a talking bear asking for honey would surprise me.”

\---

Early the next morning, you rolled out of bed gently so as not to wake the snoring man sprawled beside you. While coffee percolated in the machine, you stepped outside to grab the mail. An envelope with Lewis’ scrawling script was the only thing in the mailbox, and you opened it with interest. There weren’t any upcoming town-wide festivals, nor was it time for the semi-annual farm subsidy check. Inside, the message was primly typed on his mayoral letterhead.

_Alyse,_

_Last night, I got the strange feeling that something special was happening and I felt compelled to go check on the Community Center. Thank you._

_When I handed you those keys this time last year, never in my wildest dreams did I think you would completely restore the heart of this little town. I’d like to throw a little celebration in your honor on this wonderful day. Please arrive at the Center at 1:00 pm._

_With gratitude,_

_Mayor Lewis_

You smiled at his message. You hadn’t wasted any time finding Lewis yesterday, because you knew he would find out about the Community center on his own. Back inside, you showed the letter to Sebastian, groggy and sleepy-eyed, before beginning your day.

\---

Shortly before one o’clock, you made your way to the Community Center. Marnie excitedly pulled you in for a warm hug as she saw you and Sebastian approach the building. “Alyse! How in the world did you manage this?? Lewis and I have been trying to raise enough funds to fix this place for years now, but the problems just kept getting to be too expensive.”

You noticed tears in her eyes as she broke the hug. “I had a little assistance. I’m just happy to help out, Marnie.”

“Well,” she responded, wiping her cheeks before preparing to open the large, wooden door, “We’re waiting for you inside!”

Sebastian pressed your hand to his smiling lips and gestured for you to enter the finished Community Center. You heard a soft “Thanks, Marnie” from behind you as she opened the door.

The air left your lungs when you entered the front room to see the entire town admiring the renovations. You heard Gus’ enthusiastic inspection of the kitchen from down the hall, alongside Pam’s request for a town-wide dinner to celebrate. Robin inspected the woodwork throughout the building, and Willy glowed at the fish swimming in the large tank in the corner. George and Evelyn had visited as well, and George looked a little less grumpy than usual today. This was what you wanted: everyone in town having something to enjoy.

Marnie followed you inside and exclaimed, “She’s here!”

Your friends and neighbors burst into applause and gathered around you. Sebastian pulled his hand from yours and stepped aside to give you the full spotlight. He mouthed _I love you_ as the town continued their grateful tribute.

Overwhelmed, you clutched your hands to your chest and tears welled in your eyes. This was your family now. This town and these few dozen people had changed your life over the last year. Renovating the Center was the least you could do.

The applause died down as Lewis stepped forward, holding a small golden emblem of the town seal. His eyes sparkled as he spoke to you. “I’m not sure how you did it, Alyse, but the Community Center has never looked better! You’ve done Pelican Town a great service. If only your grandfather could see what you’ve done. He would be so proud of you.”

Lewis paused to wipe away a tear as he remembered his friend of many years. “As a way of saying thank you, I’d like to present you with this town’s greatest honor. An award that your grandfather himself received many decades ago: The Stardew Hero Award.”

Your own tears finally fell as you accepted the award. Taking a deep breath, you addressed the town. “Everyone… thank you. When I first got off the bus last year, I was scared. But you all helped me every single day. Things were so rough at first, and there were many times when I thought about packing up and leaving. But then you helped. You welcomed me into your homes. You offered advice. You-“

The door crashed open behind you, and the citizens gathered around you jumped at the sudden intrusion. The dark shadow in the doorway grumbled beneath his trench coat, “Sales have been plummeting! Where have all my customers gone?”

Morris finally showed his face as he crossed the threshold. As he took survey of the room, anger spread across his features. “All my customers… here?!? You should be shopping! Didn’t you all get the coupons? The flyers?? One day only! ONLY TODAY!! I ORDERED STOCK BASED ON THIS SALE AND NOW I’LL BE IN THE RED TODAY!!” 

“How does it feel, Morris?” Pierre spoke up from beside the fireplace and pushed past Harvey and Maru to stand in front of the dark-haired Joja manager. “To have your hard work undermined? To have the people you thought you could count on disappear? To have your life’s work crumble underneath you??”

Pierre was spitting now, his face a deep crimson as he confronted his enemy. You stepped towards the two fuming men, eager to keep the calm between the two proprietors. “Let’s stay calm, Pierre. Let’s be reasonable.”

Morris puffed up his chest in defiance: “It’s of no consequence! I’ll just run another 75% off sale and all my customers will come crawling back to me, begging for forgiveness! You’ll see!” He looked around the room for support, but no one would meet his eyes.

Pierre stared down at the newly refurbished plank floors. “No. Not this time…”

He turned to address the crowd of his neighbors, friends, and patrons. “I remember when we first moved to Pelican Town… this building was active and vibrant. We worked together to make the town a better place and to celebrate one another.” He gazed across the room as memories swept through his mind. “We held Caroline’s baby shower right here. Evelyn’s retirement party. Robin and Demetrius’ anniversaries. Graduation parties for all the kids, and even senior prom when the high school had to cancel due to budget cuts. There was a real sense of community. George, you always used to do the crossword puzzle while sipping coffee in the community kitchen, remember?”

George grunted in confirmation as Pierre continued, “Emily, you wove that custom banner for the Stardew Valley fair. I remember you working on that for years! Willy! Remember when your little crab experiment got out of hand?

Willy chuckled, “Aye… we showed up one day and the place was crawling with ‘em.”

“But Gus saved the day with a brilliant idea,” Pierre added. “A crab leg feast for the entire valley!”

From the back of the room, you heard Gus mutter, “I still dream of that garlic butter…”

“Our _community_ is what makes Pelican Town special,” Pierre pleaded to the crowd. “And the youngest in our town aren’t getting that same spirit. Vincent and Jas deserve to have what we gave the rest of the kids growing up. As a community, we need to be here for each other, no matter what the circumstances are.”

You glanced at Jodi, who was forlornly stroking Vincent’s strawberry hair.

Pierre continued, “When Jojamart came to town we lost sight of that. We were in the middle of a country-wide recession and Joja took advantage of that and we all got swept up in the coupons and discounts and cheap products. But at what cost? How many of you have gotten sick from their deli case? Or tried to return a product that fell apart not five minutes after opening the package? You pay less for inferior products that make you sick, and I’m pretty sure some of it can’t even legally be considered food! Joja ruined our town’s spirit… But now, thanks to Alyse, we have a second chance.

You felt your cheeks redden as the town turned to look at you.

“We can turn this Community Center into our town’s heart again.” Pierre was shouting now and gesturing wildly. “I’m asking that you join me in boycotting Jojamart! We have the power to reclaim our old way of life! Who’s with me?”

Morris, nervously chuckled and stuttered as he wrung his hands and glanced around the room, “Well- I don’t think- anyone-“

George, the town’s stoic curmudgeon, announced from his wheelchair, “I’ve lived here too long to see this town go to ruin. You can count me in.” Evelyn chimed in her support and pressed a loving kiss to George’s balding head.

Across the room, a wave of support spread from Gus and Jodi to Robin and Demetrius to Gunther and Clint to Marnie and Lewis, all proclaiming their support for Pierre and their community.

Morris grew pale as the cheers against him grew stronger. You heard him mumble, “I’m done for… Corporate won’t transfer me again… I can’t… won’t…” as he stumbled out of the building.

The cheering continued as Morris fled. Someone standing in the back, probably Emily, switched on a small stereo as Gus paraded food and drink from the kitchen. Now, the party to celebrate the renovations was in full swing and you laughed, danced, and enjoyed the rewards of your hard work.


	14. Former Jojamart Employee Sam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alyse deals with Joja's abrupt closure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is absolutely a reference to Good Mythical Morning's "former Hot Dog on a Stick Employee Matt Carney" (minus the last name)

“Well, shit.”

You, Sam, and Sebastian stood in front of the shuttered doors of JojaMart. The windows, boarded haphazardly with plywood, were inexplicably already shattered after just one day of closure.

“Yeah…” Sam rubbed the back of his neck as he stared at his former workplace. “I showed up for work as usual this morning and it was just boarded up. Morris didn’t call or email or anything. Guy was always a jackass anyway.”

“Sam, I’m sorry.” You didn’t know renovating the Community Center would put Sam and Shane out of a job, and even after Pierre’s call for a boycott, you thought Morris would at least try to fight back. Then the employees would have had a little time to find new jobs. And what about that girl who worked the checkout stand? Pierre would certainly thrive with all the business in town now exclusively at his shop, but there wasn’t enough need for Sam and Shane to get new jobs there.

“It’s all good. Mom said Gunther may need some part-time help. I’ve never worked in a library but I’m sure I can learn whatever he needs me to do.”

“Mm.” You felt directly responsible for his loss of income, however good for the town spirit it might be. Sebastian noticed the tone of your hum and began to gently scratch your back, offering little solace at this major change that affected the lives of two friends.

But maybe you could salvage this. You did some quick math in your head. Your profits over the last two weeks had not substantially decreased, even with paying both Sam and Abigail for their labor. If anything, your profit could rise once you were able to work fully and better divide the farm labor between you and Sam. He was certainly a quick learner and with his continued help, you could expand your farm with gusto.

The next few large-scale upgrades you wanted to make would require another set of hands. There was still the southwest corner of your farm to clear, and an infrastructure of paths to lay down. Ideally, you wanted to get a new sprinkler system installed by summer and begin expanding your artisan goods production in earnest. You could keep Sam busy for days just by putting together preserve jars. This could work.

Sebastian and Sam were chatting about the museum or Joja or Solarion or _something_ , but you didn’t register their words as you just stared at the shattered storefront window. Finally, you made your decision and abruptly interrupted their conversation.

“Sam. Would you like to keep working for me? Part-time for now?”

Both men turned to look at you, Sebastian’s eyes betraying a smile and Sam’s eyebrows reaching almost as high as his gelled hair.

“I thought we’d be done once your stitches are out and you could go back to work full-time?”

“That’s what I thought too. But thinking about it more… I need help to really turn a nice profit. With another set of trained hands, we can do twice as much!”

Excitement spread across Sam’s features and he wrapped you in a giant hug. “Yes! That would be awesome!”

“That’s such a relief,” you smiled into his embrace. “I think we can start with four or five hours a day for now? See what we can do with that?”

“This will be so much better than working here.” He jerked his head towards the abandoned building. “I’m psyched, Alyse!”

The afternoon’s mood was lifted, and the boys continued their chat on the walk to the Saloon as you did more calculations on your phone. Yes, this would absolutely work. Sebastian seemed buoyed by the good development as well, and your trio entered the Saloon in high spirits. You ordered pizza and a round of beer to celebrate the good news of today, and Sebastian beat Sam at pool before you all crowded into a booth for an early dinner.

You glanced up as Pam entered the Saloon and noticed the sun beginning to set behind her. Shit. _Sunset_. The pizza left a metallic taste in your mouth as you realized Sam didn’t know the truth about your farm at night.

“Alyse, you okay?” Across the table, Sam quirked his eyebrow above a steaming slice of pizza. “You just got really… deflated.”

“Sam, actually, I need to tell you something about the farm if you want to work with me full-time.” He looked at you, concerned, and placed his slice back on the plate. “You know how I’ve been making sure you and Abby are off the farm before it gets dark?”

Sam nodded. You hadn’t told them fully about all the dangers since you were determined to have them safely off your property before the sun left the sky. At most, you had alluded to bats inhabiting the surrounding trees that liked to swarm the farm. They probably thought you were just being overly cautious with your own bat-induced injury.

“So I told you about the bats, and those are real. But unfortunately, those aren’t the only creatures that come out at night.”

You told Sam what you told Sebastian that first night he spent at your house. About the slimes, the golems, the bats, and more. Throughout your descriptions, Sam’s eyes grew wider and wider as he took in all the information. Sebastian nodded along and motioned to Gus for another round for the table. As you continued, your words came out faster and faster as your nerves of rejection settled in.

“So we would plan for you to be off the farm before or right after sundown. If there’s ever a reason you have to stay too late, my couch is always free. When I get my confidence and my strength back I’d be okay with walking you home at night. Just not right now. And if we absolutely have to keep working after sundown, I’d want us working side-by-side, never alone. I really want you to work with me. And I just want to keep us both safe.”

“I trust you,” Sam nodded. “That is absolutely insane that you have literal monsters on your farm. But I trust you to keep us safe.”

“Oh, thank Yoba.” You sighed in relief and picked up your beer. “I’m sorry, I should have told you guys sooner but I didn’t want you to freak out.”

“No worries. So have you seen any monsters?” Sam turned to Sebastian. “Since you’re there all the time?”

“No, but she taught me how to use a sword, just in case. But you should have seen her when she thought there was something outside coming home one night.” Sebastian slung his arm across your shoulders and pressed a kiss to your temple. “Total badass with a sword.” 

“Well,” you gazed at your arm and traced the skin around your almost-healed stitches, “different times…”

“No, c’mon, you’ll be back to your old self in no time.” You picked at the label on your beer bottle and Sebastian hastily continued, “I mean, if that’s what you want. No one’s rushing you. Take your time!”

You offered a faint smile and dinner haltingly resumed, with you and Sam batting around options for going over long-term farm plans. You agreed to take the afternoon tomorrow to share your ideas with him and work out a schedule. After the delicious pizza and cold beer were finally gone, you headed out: Sam to his home and you and Sebastian to the farm.

The town square was quiet, even for the early evening as the sun hung low in the sky. Your footsteps echoed across the empty square of cobblestone and the street lamps slowly flickered on.

“I’m sorry,” Sebastian uttered as you left the town center. “I didn’t mean to upset you with the comment about the sword.”

“You didn’t really upset me… I’m just nervous. What if I can’t get back to what I was?” You trained your eyes on the dirt road in front of you. “What if I can never go back in the mines again? What if every time I see something on the farm I just can’t handle it?”

“I believe in you. Whenever you’re ready to take that first step with Marlon on training, you’ll do great. And if you have to take it slow, you take it slow. No one is forcing you to do anything. We’ve been doing just fine staying in at night, and we’ll keep doing that for as long as we need to. If there’s ever a reason we’re off the farm that late at night, I’ll sneak you into the basement at my mom’s house.”

You laughed, “Would you really have to sneak me in? Surely your mom isn’t under the assumption you’re sleeping on my couch all the time.”

“Well, Mom isn’t the one I’m worried about.” Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Demetrius is just an asshole. It would just be easier to shimmy you in through a window.”

He smiled and pulled your hand into his. “But seriously, you’ll get through it, whenever you decide it’s the right time.”

The reds and oranges of sunset filtered through the canopy of leaves above the path to your farm. You heard the calls of frogs coming from the pond and savored the calm of the spring evening. Before you knew it, summer would be here and even the breeziest summer nights would be unbearable.

But that was a worry for another day. For now, you and Sebastian watched the sun make its final descent for the evening, leaving the farm shrouded in degrees of darkness. Still, the calm prevailed against your anxieties and you sat under the stars, content and hopeful.

\---

Sam arrived at his usual time to feed the animals the next morning. Since your stitches would be out in just a day or two, Abigail had resumed her online coursework during the day. Apparently, she had used the excuse of working on the farm to procrastinate on her midterm paper and now needed to work overtime on her essay.

After spending a few hours in the warming sun harvesting potatoes and watering the next set of garlic bulbs with Sam, you invited him in for lunch and to discuss your upcoming plans. Sebastian sat at his usual place in the corner, absorbed in a new project. He nodded to you and Sam and returned to his work with headphones on.

You quickly threw together some sandwiches and pulled out a pitcher of cranberry candy tea. After the first half of your sandwich was devoured, you pulled a small stack of papers from the kitchen counter and spread the documents in front of you. On page one, you had done a sketch of your farm layout. The second sheet held your to-do list for the coming weeks, and the rest of the pile showed columns of profit and loss for each crop and product you could sell.

“So today is the…” a quick glance at the calendar confirmed your initial thoughts, “the 21st of Spring. That only gives us a week until Summer.”

You turned your farm layout and to-do list towards Sam. “I would love to get the sprinkler system installed by then. I’d be willing to sacrifice the last two days or so of spring crops so we can get that done. After the garlic we planted today is harvested, no more planting.”

“And this is where you want the system?” Sam pointed to neatly organized rows of darkened squares on the southeast side of the farm.

“Yes. So here I have plans for 16 high-quality sprinklers that are able to water a large area. Right now, I only have 8 sprinklers. Iridium isn’t easy to find. Especially now that I’m not going into the mines.” You tapered off at that, but quickly regained your composure. “But I think 8 will do us well through summer if we also put focus on expanding artisan products and commit to watering a few more plots by hand.”

As Sebastian typed in the background, you and Sam delved further into your plans for the next season. Clearing the southwest corner would actually be a priority, as that’s where you wanted to move your barns and coops. The ducks would be able to enjoy the pond in the corner while remaining safely locked in a large fenced-in area. There was room for 3 barns and 3 coops, as well as several sheds and space for growing feed for your animals. Ideally, you would have one shed for mayonnaise and cheese production, one for kegs, and one for preserves. Your current shed had plenty of room for more artisan machines before you’d need to build another, and you estimated a second shed wouldn’t be needed until the end of summer.

Laying out a path system could wait until winter if needed as the farm terrain wasn’t too hard to navigate. You would just need to be sure to leave space for these as you constructed all the other buildings. Building more barns, coops, and silos would come in due time as you saved your profits. Saying this all out loud instead of just writing it down gave you confidence, and having Sam on board would make all of it much easier.

After lunch, Sam was clear on your combined tasks for the next few days: the usual animal feedings, watering the remaining crops, and assembling 3 new preserve jars, 3 kegs, and 4 mayonnaise machines. The materials needed for these would clear out your supplies chests, but would be replenished in the next week or so as you began to clear the southwest corner of the farm.

This was a plan. An honest-to-Yoba _plan_. You had kind of just been winging it since day 1, but this was the perfect opportunity to maximize the space on your farm, increase your profits, and if he could see it, make Grandpa proud. All you needed to do was get these stitches out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sam always strikes me as just so easy-going. Monsters? No problem. Just go with the flow. No questions asked.  
> Sebastian, on the other hand, nervous ball of low-energy energy. A million questions about the scary stuff.  
> Abigail would be so enthusiastic about the magic aspect of it all. A million questions about what the slimes are made of.


End file.
